Crash Landing: Book Three (An SYOT)
by IVolunteerAsAuthor
Summary: It's been a year since Katherine Farrow and her family have been on the run from Alexandra Rabbel. A lot of things in Panem have changed since Alexandra has come into power, but one thing that is sure to never change in Panem is the Hunger Games. With a chip on her shoulder and a lot to prove, Alexandra is determined to make this the best games yet. Let the 32nd Hunger Games begin!
1. Katherine Farrow

" _Sometimes it felt like her life was a series of falls from ever-greater heights." ~ Scott Westerfeld_

* * *

 **Katherine Farrow**

 **Rebel**

* * *

It's been a year since the takeover. A year since the death of one of my best friends, and one of the best spies this country has and will ever see. It's been a year of being on the run, and hiding from Alexandra Rabbel, though by now I think everyone in the country knows she's a Snow.

We are currently on the outskirts of District 7 living outside of the fence of the District. We've made contact with people inside, and they've provided us supplies when needed. Alexandra has been on a rampage, and our pictures are everywhere all over the country.

We've built a four bedroom cottage in an area that I know for a fact is uncensored. Being the President, even if it was for a short time, had its perks. It's not as big as the Presidential mansion, but it gives us all the space we need. Of course, Sailor and Alma have to share the room due to Adela being with us.

The poor girl has had so much loss in her short little life, but throughout this year I've seen incredible strides to happiness for her. It's almost as if the trauma of what she went through was forgotten. Though, can watching your parents be murdered ever really be forgotten?

A knock on my door snaps me out of thoughts as Lenovo Cane opens the door. He's been quite the surprise since joining our tiny group of rebels. He's been excellent at spy surveillance as far as computer hacking goes, and he's been able to sneak into District 7 multiple times on missions to take care of things for us.

"Katherine, you're going to want to see this," he says as he turns around and quickly walks out of the room. Something in his eyes let me know that this wasn't something that was going to be pleasant.

I get out of my bed and put a robe on before leaving the bedroom. Sailor and Alma are already at the breakfast table looking worried, and Clyde is outside chopping wood for the day. Sailor gives me a smile that tells me "don't panic everything is going to be okay," which is also a direct indication that everything is not okay.

"According to my geolocator that that Peacekeeper managed to sneak me out of the mayor's office, the Capitol is expanding its search for us; we need to get moving again."

"Already?" I ask sadly. "We just built this place. It was starting to feel like home."

"Unless you want to get caught by Alexandra, yes, it's time to go." he says.

I frown as I look around the room and take everything in. I don't want to forget any of it. This is the place that's sheltered me from the cold, the rain, the heat. This is the place that has helped me survive living away from all of the luxuries that I once had back in the Capitol. This was the place that showed me what it meant to be a survivor. Other than winning the games of course.

"So where are we off to next?" I ask him as I sit down and grab an apple from the center bowl. Sailor begins to relax as they see my response is somewhat normal, but I can tell that they're still feeling a bit on edge.

"I was thinking back to District 13," says Lenovo. "If what you guys say about it was true, they have more than enough ammunition to keep us protected, and not to mention they hate the Capitol as much as we do."

"That's a long walk," says Sailor. "Are we sure that we want to go there?"

"Don't remind me about the walk," says Lenovo. "I've already stressed myself out enough that I'll no longer have something to sit on when needing to go to the bathroom. I don't want to think about actually having to move that much."

"How the hell did you win the games, again?" ask Alma as she gives him an incredulous look.

"Watch your language."

"Oh please, Mom." she says defiantly, "Like you don't say it."

Something in her changed the day that she killed Alexander Rabbel. I used to say that I have the perfect daughter, but now she's been moody. I don't know if it's because she's just going through that typical teenage girl phase, or if she is upset about always having to be on the run, nonetheless I wish she would talk to me again. I miss the relationship we had.

"Alma, watch your tone with your mother," says Clyde as he walks in carrying a stack of wood. "I guess he told you, babe?" ask Clyde as he kisses me on the head as he walks by.

"Yes, I've been informed," I say with a pout. "When do we leave."

"Tomorrow," says Lenovo. "They're supposed to be sending the hovercraft out sometime next week. I figure that will give us enough time to put some distance between us, and I'm estimating the dreaded walk to 13 is going to take about two weeks."

"The games will be starting then," says Clyde. "There will be Capitol escorts everywhere. We'll need to stay out of the way."

"I'm not worried," says Sailor. "People still don't know me, and if we need anything I'm pretty sure I can sneak by without detection," she says as she takes the last bite of her oatmeal. "Worst case you lose another spy."

"Too soon, Sailor." says Alma sadly.

"You're right, that was morbid." Sailor agrees.

Tiny footsteps start to patter across the floor, and I shift my gaze to see Adela standing in her doorway. She is carrying her blanket and is wiping her eye when she sees me staring and begins to walk over here.

"You're loud." the four-year-old says in a grumpy voice. "How am I supposed to be beautiful if I can't sleep?" she asks me as she begins to climb on my lap. She faces me when she's sitting down and smiles. "So woman, what's the plan today."

"Aunt Katherine is preferred," I say

"Alma calls you woman," says Adela with a smile. "I wanna be like her!"

"Only hopefully less moody," says Clyde from the kitchen. Alma gives him a rude eye roll before taking her last bite of breakfast and bringing it to the wash bucket. She sets it in the tub and then walks back to her room slamming the door.

"Who put a bee in her undies?" ask Adela with a shocked expression. "I thought that door was gonna fall right off!"

I laugh as she looks exasperated and then she begins to turn around to face the table. She reaches for an apple but then she throws it down. I give her a shocked look, and she laughs. "Haha, I was trying to be Alma."

"We don't do that," I say trying to hold back a giggle. Sailor is having no such luck and is currently turning red with laughing. "Hey, Adela," I say changing the subject.

"Oh, no." says the toddler. "What's happening?"

"We are moving," I say in an excited tone. "We are going on a little trip, and I need you to go pick out your favorite toys because we have to pack light."

"You can't just tell me to pick out my favorite toys!" she says sadly. "I love them all!"

"I know you do, baby." I say, "But we have to go on this trip."

"Okay, Aunt Katherine," she says as she climbs down off my lap. "I'll go pick them now. Then I'm going to hide the ones I'm not taking so no one else can have them. They're mine." she runs back into her room and attempts to slam the door like my daughter, but isn't quite as successful.

"There is so much of Jada in her," says Sailor. "It's quite humorous."

"That wasn't Jada," says Clyde. "Trust me, that was all Amber."

The twins died in the same year. They used to mention how they planned on dying not far apart because they were always so used to being together. It was hard enough for Amber to get married and Jada to move into her own apartment, so when Amber died, I think we all knew that Jada would pass soon after.

Those two were destined to be together. Two peas in the same pod. Literally, they shared a uterus.

"Well, we better start packing," says Lenovo breaking the silence that I didn't realize filled the room. "We have a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it. Chop chop people. I need my beauty rest, so I'm not cranky, and you guys know I won't sleep until we're ready."

"Oh Lord," says Sailor. "This is going to be worse than anything Alexandra can do to us."

 **Hello all, and welcome to my 12th SYOT. I'm not quite finished with HOB2, but I'm in the top 10, and I always post the prologue for my next story in the top 10.**

 **Like always, rules and form are on my profile. I will not accept review submissions, and I have a strict deadline is flexible policy. So just be aware of that. Best to let me know you're sending one in because I'm quick to close spots. (Apologies, but they are NOW there. I'm a dingus and took a nap right after I posted this.)**

 **I hope you liked this; I was nervous to stick my toe back into this trilogy. I feel like I've hyped this too much, so I hope the writing doesn't disappoint. I also didn't want anything big and crazy happening first chapter, but this is a series on Katherine Farrow, so don't worry. It's coming.**

 **Hope to see some excellent tributes. Big thanks to Scott Westerfeld for the quote.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	2. The Last Knock

_Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come._

 _~ Rabindranath Tagore_

* * *

 **Cassadee Schapp**

 **Capitol Citizen**

* * *

"Today will be just like any other day." I say to myself as I look in the mirror. "Today, you will go for a walk in the morning. Kieran will say something perverted, and you can hit him in the arm, but you'll secretly find it hilarious." I whisper. "Today, you will eat your favorite meal, a cheeseburger with french fries, and you will shamelessly lick your fingers afterward."

Tears well up in my eyes as I look in the mirror and begin to twirl my hair. It was done professionally for today. There was going to be lots of news coverage. There will be a lot of news coverage today.

"Then," I say distracting myself from my thoughts. "You'll come back to your room where you will talk to Tahan. You'll open up, and clear your head. She'll help you pick out what to wear, and do your make up. Then you'll be able to look beautiful."

Beauty is such an arbitrary concept for what's going to happen today. When faced with exponential crises you tend to revert to the arbitrary. Because when you were able to worry about those, you didn't have to worry about this life changing event that is ruining you.

I say life changing like my life is something that will be modified after this event happens. But how do you describe an execution other than life changing? It's the biggest change of all because, after it, there is no life _to_ change.

A knock at my door makes me jump as I have a single tear fall from my eyes. I had three knocks left that I will ever hear in my lifetime. Kieran, Tahan, and the executioner.

I walk over to the door and open it expecting to see Kieran, but instead, I see Pine Hart, winner of the 25th Hunger Games. He smiles weakly at me, and I step aside from the doorframe to invite him in. He walks straight to the living room and sits down in the loveseat that is directly in front of the coffee table.

"How have you been, Cass?" he asks me looking at me with a concerned look.

"Excuse me?" I ask looking at him completely bewildered. "You're the reason I'm sitting in this place, and on the day of my bloody execution you have the nerve to ask me how I've been?" I say in complete disbelief. "Pine, get out," I say pointing at the door.

"Okay, it probably wasn't the best choice of words-" he begins

"Oh?" I say sarcastically. "You think?"

"Cassadee, it was either you or Elena and-"

"Pine, you can say that tired song over and over again, but the truth is there is always another way. You had one job. That was to keep my location a secret until I managed to sneak out of the Capitol, one job, and that was it. How someone, so cowardice won the Hunger Games I'll never know, but you should be ashamed of yourself for even considering walking in here-"

"Cass," he whispers, "She was pregnant."

My heart drops to my feet as the words escape his mouth. A feeling of understanding clouds my head, but is quickly replenished with the rage that has been inside of me the past year throughout this trial. I can't imagine what he went through with his pregnant fiance in the hands of the Capitol. I can't figure out if the rage I'm feeling is selfishness or seeing the bigger picture that he misjudged so harshly.

"Pine, I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I am, but you screwed up any chance that you had at saving this country." I pause as I look at him and then run over the vanity at my dresser. I pull out my makeup sponge, and then dig into it, revealing a flash drive USB. "But you have a chance to save it," I say.

"What are you talking about?" he asks me confused.

"Pine, you need to find Kieran Blake," I say firmly. "You have to leave the Capitol on foot. Take Elena if you must, but Kieran must go with you. You need to run and find Katherine Farrow, and when you do, give her this." I say holding up the black stick. "It's the utmost importance that this gets to her."

"I don't know if I can do that, Cass," he says quickly.

"I'm dying in less than 6 hours. You're the reason for that death, Pine. Not only do you have Eve's blood on your hands, but in the next few hours you'll have mine as well."

"That's not fair," he begins to say, but then he stops himself. "Hand it over." he says as he extends his hand. I place the computer stick in the front pocket of his shirt and put my hand over his chest.

"Guard this with your life," I say. "God knows I did."

He nods and then looks at me with a sincere comforting smile. "Cass, I am sorry," he says.

"I know you are." I say "Kieran should be on his way down her right now. Don't let him see me. It'll ruin my desire to have this mission carried out. Tell him I love him, and I will wait for him where I go after death."

"Of course," says Pine as he awkwardly extends to give me a hug. I begrudgingly take it and then point my finger towards the door of the room.

"Do what I couldn't, Pine," I say as he leaves.

* * *

 _And then quite suddenly, and without any warnings, two worlds can collide making one. Filling in any questions one may have, and opening up both worlds to new possibilities. ~ Me_

* * *

 **Tahan Jacobs**

 **Prison Councillor**

* * *

Cassadee's execution is the first hanging in the history of Panem. Ever since the United States failed, we've tried to steer clear of public executions, at least in the Capitol. Poisoning has proven much more efficient anyways.

I don't support the idea of the death penalty, but that's why I do what I do. Because my government betrayed me too. Back when America was around, all 33 years ago, I was just another 16-year-old girl that was moving through the system. I was the Victor of the first Hunger Games, though the history books don't quite document it that way.

I'm just a high profile character in the Capitol now. I don't usually work cases like this, but this is receiving such popularity from the media that I felt the girl needed someone to talk to. Dying with a heavy heart just seems crueler that I'm willing to let this new country be.

I knock on the door, and Cassadee opens it almost instantaneously. She looks at peace with herself right now, which is more than a person can ask for in a moment like this.

"Tahan," she says stepping aside to allow me in. The guard that is standing watch at the end of hallway looks at me questioning if he needs to stand by the door, but I nod my head no. I walk through the doorframe and turn to her.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. "I know that seems like a stupid question, but there is a lot to process today. I can't imagine you only feeling one emotion in a time like this."

"I'm not," she says as she walks back to the kitchen where a fast food bag sits. She pulls out a triple cheeseburger with a large fry and smiles. "Right now, I'm feeling grateful for junk food." she jokes as she takes a fry and pops it in her mouth, "but this morning was much harder for me. I couldn't focus on anything other than the fact that in about," she looks at the clock, "an hour and a half, I'll be hanging by my little neck, it will be broken if I'm lucky, in front of a group of people who know nothing about me other than my crime."

"But you still don't see it as a crime?" I ask as I sit down on the sofa. She makes her way to the loveseat and sets her food down on the coffee table directly across from me.

"No, I don't see it as a crime," she says. "I see it as justice, Alexandra Rabbel does not deserve to sit in that seat. It belongs to Katherine Farrow, and we all know that." Though I agree with her, I'd never voice that out loud for fear of someone overhearing. The walls have ears here. Not to mention, Cassadee seems like the vengeful type. I can imagine her trying to take me down with her when she goes for the great plunge.

"Well, that's a topic that is certainly a debate," I say.

"If Katherine weren't so popular with the Capitol she'd be dead by now," says Cassadee. "After all of your resources that this country has disposed on trying to find them, they still can't. Why do you think that is, Tahan?"

"She's good at what she does?" I asked giving her a skeptical look.

"No," says Cassadee. "She is respected."

We sit there in silence for the rest of the time Cassadee is eating. She looks sad as she places the last bite of her burger in her mouth, and savors the food as she chews it. She stands up and walks to the closet after, and slides into a sparkly black club dress. She begins to slide it on and then ushers me over with her hand.

"Can you zip me please?" she asks. "This is the dress that Amber left me in her will. It was mine in the first place, but that little scamp didn't pass up the chance for the joke. She also gave me the necklace I'm wearing." she says as I finish zipping her and she turns to show me a beautiful diamond necklace. "I don't want it falling into some vile person's hands, so when I'm gone, you can have it."

"That's very kind, but unneeded," I say.

"You'll deny a dying girl one of her last wishes?" she asks me surprised.

"That's very kind," I correct myself. "Thank you,"

I begin to do her makeup, and she tells me stories of her and the Mastiff twins and their childhood. She tells me how she was madly in love with Snow, and that she was blinded for so long until she met Katherine.

"That bitch is one hard girl to understand. But she's had one of the most exciting lives I've ever seen," she says. "Not in the sense that it was always happy. The girl has seen so much tragedy, but she's a constant story of ascension. She's one of the most brilliant people I've ever met."

I hand her a red lipstick, and she takes it out of my hands and begins tracing her lips with it. When she is satisfied with how her lips look, she smiles, and does a teeth check, and turns to me. "How do I look?" she asks me.

"Like you're going to be turning heads in heaven," I say with a chuckle.

"That's what I was going for," she says. "I figured I would give God some reminder that he made something very close to perfection after his son of course."

I chuckle, and then there is another knock on the door. She jumps and then her face changes from the joking and happy Cassadee, to now a face of sorrow and pain. A single tear rolls down her cheek, and she closes her eyes and wipes it quickly. When she opens her eyes again, there is a spark in them that looks as if could start a fire if gasoline got anywhere near her.

The guard comes in and holds a pair of handcuffs, and there is a team of therapist behind him ready to tranquilize her if she attempts to fight the guard off.

"There's no need for those," she says pushing the guard's hands away. "I know my fate."

We exit the room, and she walks in front of the guard and presses the elevator door. It comes up to the floor that she was on, and when she steps on it, she makes room for the guard and me to step on with her.

"I just realized something," she murmurs. "When I die, it will be like I'm dancing one last time. My feet will dangle," she says with a smile. "How fitting."

When the elevator door opens, she freezes for a minute, takes a deep breath and walks out of the elevator. I place a comforting hand on her back, and she pulls it off so she can hold my hand regularly. She's squeezing very tight, and the feeling in my hand is numb by the time she is at the execution door.

"CASSADEE!" screams a male voice.

She makes a swift turn and sees a man with dark hair running down the corridor. He is followed quickly behind Pine Hart, the victor of the 25th games. She frowns as he comes forward and looks at the guard.

"Can I have a minute?" she asks him.

"Mam, we are on a very tight schedule," he says

"You're about to kill me. It's not like I have to be anywhere after this," she says with an eye roll as she walks towards the boy. He stops in the middle, and they have a very quick fierce encounter. He strokes her face, and they kiss very passionately and only pull apart when the guard comes and taps her on the shoulder.

"Ms. Schapp, it's time."

"I love you," the boy says loudly.

"I love you," she says. "Go be who I know you can."

She turns and walks back towards me with a look of love in her eyes. When she walks back to the door, she takes a deep breath and turns the knob. Standing at the top is the man that will pull the lever that will have her dangle down to her death, and sitting in a glass room is the entire cabinet of President Alexandra Rabbel, including Alexandra herself.

She climbs to the top of the giant podium and stands in front of the crowd as they wrap the noose around her neck.

"Wait," she says,

She takes the necklace off and hands it to me. She gives one of the bigger diamonds a look as she hands it to me. She moves it back and forth for a second without anyone else seeing, and there is a sheet of paper behind one of the diamonds.

"I told you that you could have it." she says handing it to me.

"Thank you," I say fidgeting the diamond myself, letting her know that I understand.

They place the noose around her neck, and she takes a deep breath. The executioner walks over to the lever and puts his hand on it.

"Do you have any last words?" asks the executioner.

"Yes," she says. "To die will be an awfully big adventure," she says with a smile. "A quote from J.M. Barrie for the illiterate in this room. I'm guessing there is quite a few. Long live President Farrow."

The lever is pulled, and Cassadee falls through the trapdoor.

* * *

It's been two hours since the execution, and I'm finally able to get back to my room. I take the necklace out of my pocket and examine the same diamond that she showed me was a hidden compartment back in the execution room. I move the large diamond to the side and pull out the piece of paper.

 _Tahan,_

 _I've known of your support to Katherine since the first time we've talked. You were very vocal about the happiness you had at her initial presidency, and I couldn't imagine that disappearing the second she fell out of it._

 _There is a lot to talk about in this small note, but not a lot of space to do so. I wish I could tell you everything, but instead, you will have to survive with this._

 _There is a reckoning coming. Something big is on it's way to shake Panem to the core, and you need to be on the right side of it. When you're approached by a man, you'll know who, he'll ask you for a codeword. You're to reply "Crash Landing." He will explain everything that I am unable to from there._

 _Good luck, Tahan._

 _Xoxo,_

 _Cassadee._

 **I hope this didn't suck as bad as I thought it did? I needed something dramatic cause you all know I'm extra. I'm surprised this wasn't my opening chapter tbh.**

 **The deadline for tribute submissions will be June 27th. I will get a list of tribute's by District and let you know how many are subbing to each spot. Just be prepared if you send me a career. I get a lot of those.**

 **Also, if you've already submitted, please know that I added strengths and weaknesses to the form. I didn't realize I forgot those, but they are important for the blog.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	3. Operation Crash Landing

_Because I've walked through the fire_

 _I've crossed the flames_

 _Choked on the smoke, and played the game_

 _But even when I walked through the desert I still had hope_

 _Because when you're holding on to something, you don't want to let go_

* * *

 **Pine Heart**

 **Victor of the 25th Games**

Kieran is taking forever to get here. I understand that escaping the Capitol is a lot to handle, but if I can get a wife and seven months old to the spot and ready on time, I'm sure a single man in his 40s can make it.

He's a very mysterious figure, and a lot of us were surprised that Cassadee had taken such a liking to him. She had always liked trouble though, and he was nothing but. Kieran had won the last Hunger Games that the United States ever held, I didn't know that that was a thing until a little bit ago, but it's interesting to learn. I wouldn't have gone into the Hunger Games had America not failed so long ago.

"Pine, I know he's a little bit of a sensitive situation right now, with his fiance dying and all," begins Elena, "But Ava is a bit temperamental when she gets woken up from her nap, and I'd like to know that it isn't for nothing. "

"I understand," I reply slowly. "But Cassadee's instructions were clear. We wait for Kieran-"

"Sorry I'm late," says Kieran as he walks up to the little cafe we were all sitting at and pulls up a chair. There has been a lot of eyes on me lately. I'm sure you can imagine why." he says gloomily as he seems a bit dazed. "We should get going. The first safe house is a few miles outside the Capitol."

We get up from the cafe table and begin our walk. Elena wanted to get some sort of car, but I didn't know how we were going to smuggle one of those out of the Capitol unseen, as everyone walks around here.

"Oh, and Elena, I have a surprise for you," says Kieran as he motions for him to follow us.

He leads us down a dirt road trail, and then behind a bunch of bushes. When we round the corner Elena squeals in delight. "A CAR!" she screams gleefully as she runs to it. "Do you know how to drive this thing?!" she asks looking at Kieran and me.

It's a silver SUV with a roofed trailer attached to it. There are several large canisters inside of the trailer, and when I take the backpacks we packed for ourselves off and go to put them in the back trunk, there are even more canisters. I reach forward and place the bags on the seat in between Elena and Ava.

"Back when America was around, I had a hardship license," he says. "So short answer, yes."

We get in the car, and I reach into my pocket and pull out the flash drive that Cassadee had given to me the day of her execution. Kieran looks over at me with a shocked expression when he sees the device in my hand, and I instantly get curious. As Elena puts Ava in this seat for babies, I clear my throat and look at Kieran.

"Kieran, do you know what this is?" I ask him as he composes himself and then starts the car. He puts it into gear and then pulls out from behind the bushes as he starts down the dirt road.

"Being a senator has its perks," he says as he runs his hands along the steering wheel. "I only had to ask the head of transportation for this thing, and he gave me several canisters of gasoline in the trailer, and in the trunk of the SUV."

"That doesn't answer my question, Kieran," I respond skeptically as he continues to drive.

"There are so many canisters that I'm surprised he was generous," says Kieran. "The Capitol has a way of _reaching_ people, don't you think, Pine? Touching," says Kieran with an urgent, but very quick, look.

"Kieran, I need to pee," I say as I signal for him to pull over.

He nods as he drives to the side of the dirt road and pulls over. I get out of the front seat, and Elena looks concerned as Kieran exits as well. She rolls down the window. "Everything okay, boys?"

"Yes," we say in unison, which I can tell is causing her to be nervous. "We just needed a pee break!" I say.

We walk into the woods, and I pull out the flash drive and look at him. "What is this, Kieran?"

"That's Operation Crash Landing, Pine," he says. "There is a lot on that flash drive. A lot that can incriminate a lot of people."

"What's the goal, what is the objective of this operation?"

"Pine, do you remember the arena of last year's Hunger Games?"

"Hard to forget outer space," I reply slowly. "What's that have to do with it?"

"The flash drive holds the code to bring that spaceship back to earth, but there is also a way to hack into the computer of the space shuttle, and control it from the outside. The flash drive's objective is to allow us to use those codes to our benefits."

"To do what?" I ask slowly.

"We're going to send the shuttle crashing into the Capitol," says Kieran as he turns around and walks back to the car. I stand there frozen in shock and begin to hyperventilate as I realize what I just got my family into.

"Oh my gosh," I say under my breath. "I'm officially part of the rebellion."

 **This update is INSANELY short. However, I needed to address a few things and still wanted to take a nap before class. Also, I wrote those lyrics at the beginning. So report happy leave.**

 **The deadline for submissions is now July 6th OR July 7th. If I don't have the submissions that I like I will extend the deadline by a day. I'll already have the chapter ready to go; I'll just need to edit the author's note as needed.**

 **Now that you know what the plan of this story is, or at least what you think it is, what do you make of the plot so far? Too much? Not enough?**

 **Thank you for the love and support, and as always**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	4. Only the Good Die Young

**Trigger Warning: Paisley has some strong feelings towards herself...not self-pleasing ones. A little too real for some people if you feel me? Might end REALLY badly.**

* * *

 _I'm kind of a disaster_

 _The only perfection I know is being perfectly flawed_

 _I'm like rain falling at a picnic_

 _Or forgetting the words to your favorite song_

* * *

 **Paisley Grace, 51**

 **Capitol Socialite**

Here's the thing about money: it can cloud your judgment for a second. It can make you the happiest you've ever been, but when you run out of things to buy, you realize how dull your life truly is, and how unhappy you truly are.

Here's the thing about depression: it doesn't matter how many good things happen, it doesn't matter how many people you surround yourself with, and it doesn't matter what you have. You can have everything you truly want and still hate living.

Still, hate yourself.

I tried so hard not to let the games become a thing. The year after the politician games and President Veyne somehow making it out of the games alive, in prison, but alive, there was a shift in the country. The people I was surrounded with loved the idea. They wanted more.

Thus the birth of the "dark ages" excuse. Also known as, "We're going to punish you for trying to protect your families, your friends, your neighbors, as we bombed every aspect of everything you've ever known. Not only are we going to hold you captive, but now you're going to dance when we say like a little-trained monkey."

I honestly thought it was a joke the first games, but when the boy from 2 slammed an ax into the boy from 6, that's when I knew. I saw the desire in his eyes for the kill. I saw the want and the drive to make it to the end.

That year the boy from 2 came home, but our humanity left the country.

It's been 33 years since all of this mess started. 33 years since I helped the monster's that are running this takeover. 33 years since my selfish little 18-year-old self decided she wanted money and fame over something of sustenance.

I'm 51 years old now, what do I even have to show for it? A lovely house? A cute boy toy that I can use to numb the pain for a second? I've never married or had kids. I've never known the joys of what it means to live truly.

The saddest thing you can experience is to see life as a technicolor event when you only have the option to see in black and white.

And that's why today, on August 31st, Year 33, I will end my life. I will do it on my terms. I will go to the living room of my mansion and drink an entire bottle of red wine. I will then go and take sleeping pills from the psychiatrist that thought he was helping me when prescribing them. I will draw a bath, and I will simply fall asleep.

I go to the kitchen and grab the bottle of red wine. Walking back to my couch I turn on the finale of Panem's Next Top Model and begin sipping the sweet numbing liquid. I watch as the three girls that are left in the competition are walking the catwalk when my doorbell rings, and I'm forced to get up and answer it.

"Paisley, we need to talk," says Davantae through the door as he stands there with a bag of food. "I brought you food because I figured all you had was wine."

"I'm not here right now," I say, and then instantly slap myself in the face with regret. What kind of a stupid thing to do was that?

"I see you're already drunk," he says as he fumbles around in his pockets and pulls out the key that I gave him years ago. I roll my eyes and step to the side as I walk back to the couch and lie on it. He walks in with the groceries and gives me an annoyed look as he struggles to keep the bag afloat.

"Don't mind me," he says. "Not like I'm trying to keep you alive or anything," he says as he closes the door behind him.

"I should have never given you that key, Dav," I say as I pause the show and look up. "And keep the groceries. I won't be needing them after today."

"Paisley you say that literally every week, and every week I come back with the food you are still around to tell me not to bring the food that you'll eat the following week," he says. "You don't even have the pills that you planned on taking any more."

"I don't?" I ask confused.

"I took those from you a long time ago, Paisley," he said. "I'll be back a little later. Are you going to be okay? Do I need to cancel the appointment?"

"Are you telling her today?" I ask getting a little excited.

"Yes, I am telling her."

"Come back later," I say. "That's too exciting to die and not know about." As I lean back against the couch and watch as the girl with the red hair gets sent home in third place. "Sucks to be so dependent on beauty, honey," I say as Davantae walks back to the front door and walks out of the house. I hear the key in the door as he locks it again, and don't even divert my eyes from the TV. "Trust me, I know."

* * *

 _Look at these old photographs_

 _See the old clothes we used to wear_

 _See the smiles we always wore_

 _See the wear and tear_

* * *

 **Davantae Jones, 50**

 **Capitol Citizen**

Man Paisley has gotten dark throughout the years. When we first came to the Capitol this girl was always smiling, she'd buy everything and anything she wanted, and then I walked into her house one day to her with a noose around her neck and about to jump. She threw it off her neck the moment she saw me walk in and collapsed on the floor, and ever since then it's been a balancing act for us.

It's such a beautiful day today. The sun is shining brightly, and the sky is crystal blue. The temperature isn't hot, but it's not cold either. I'm not into that light jacket shit, so I just wore a short sleeved shirt with some jeans.

I make my way down the street and see her in the same coffee shop she used to go to every morning. She is reading a book, and 33 years later, she's still as beautiful as the first time I saw her. Her pumpkin spice latte is halfway gone, but if I know her as well as I think I do, she has been so engrossed in her book she's forgotten that it's even there.

My stomach suddenly fills with knots. This is the only woman who has ever been able to do that to me. I don't want to sound cocky or some shit, but I'm a strong man. I could pull anyone I wanted, but young love dies hard, and this girl has always held a special place in my heart.

Calling her girl at this point is a little weird now that I think about it, but she brings me back to a time where I was young.

I walk over to the table and pull up a chair and sit down. She doesn't notice at first or chooses to ignore me. Up close she's even more beautiful. Though she is in her 50s, she doesn't look a day out of her thirties. I'm left sitting at the table as she continues to read this last bit of the page. I'm assuming she's finishing a chapter or something.

"You know it's rude to just impose on someone," she says completely unphased that we haven't talked in many years.

"Is it imposing for an old friend?" I ask with a slight smile.

"I don't know if you can call us friends," she says as she finally looks up at me. Her crystal blue eyes are lit up by the sun as she glances upwards. The knots intensify because though we've traveled many years without each other, even she can't deny that electric feeling that's coursing through the air right now. "Considering the last time we talked you dumped me and told me I was a heartless bitch who is going to get what's coming to her."

Over the years I've learned a lot of things about myself. The number one thing was that I was very impulsive. I was mad at the world; I was mad at the government, I was angry at the system that screwed me over. Because of all that anger, I wasn't sure how to handle myself, and often I took it out on those I cared about. I still do believe that Tahan was wrong for giving the location of Ophelia Veyne, but the words that I said should have never escaped my mouth.

"I'm sorry about that," I say as I look at her.

"It's in the past, Davantae," she says coldly as she picks up her latte like I thought she would, and then makes a face because it's now cold. She coughs a little bit as she sets the mug down and then looks back up at me. "I'm assuming you have a reason for contacting me today?"

"Yeah, we need to talk."

"Well, get to talking then, Davantae. I don't have all day."

"Not here." I say, "We can't talk here, but I have someone that wants to see you too."

Her face softens as I say that part, because I know she knows who I'm talking about. Her and Paisley were inseparable the first few years of the Capitol. Paisley was doing an excellent job at balancing being my friend and Tahan's, but that all changed when Paisley and I hooked up one night. Tahan found out, and she didn't talk to Paisley again.

"How is she?" she asks me quietly.

"She's seen better days," I say. "She's in a very dark place."

"I don't know if I want to see her," Tahan says honestly. "I should have been able to be there for her, but I let some silly grudge get in the way, and now she's going to be a mess-"

"You don't get to feel guilty for doing the right thing," I say softly. "We were both selfish, and we wronged you. That's not your fault for trimming out the negative influences in your life."

She gives me an appreciative look and smiles a little bit. Tahan hasn't changed at all. She's still the girl that is strong and will make a choice and stick with it. She's the type of girl that doesn't mind being alone because whether she was alone or with people, she still got screwed over.

At least when she was alone, she didn't care about the people that screwed her over.

"Well, are you ready to go?" I ask.

She nods and gets up from the table.

* * *

 _Like a bad tattoo on a drunken night_

 _Your love stays with me_

 _I try to wash and scrub you away_

 _But ink last forever_

* * *

 **Tahan Jacobs**

 **Prison Councillor**

Davantae and I walked mostly in silence. There's so much to say after thirty-three years of not talking and to be honest; I'm not sure where to start. I was finally about to break the ice when he turned and walked towards a house, and pulled a key out.

"Are you two still together?" I ask him curiously.

"We were never together, Tahan," he says as the key turns in the lock and he walks into the house. When we arrive, Paisley is standing on her couch and screaming at the television.

"Brittany was the most qualified for the title!" she shouts as she jumps up and down on the sofa. "What the _fuck_ are you doing you stupid cow!" she continues not noticing we are there.

Davantae clears his throat, and she swings around quickly, but when she sees me, she falls off the couch. Davantae starts busting out laughing, but I walk over to her and help her up. She reeks of booze, and it takes me off guard. The girl I left behind so many years ago would never allow herself to be this diminished.

"Are you drunk?" I ask with a surprise in my voice.

"Brittany just really deserved it!" she whines as she starts to kick around. I roll my eyes and look over at Davantae who is still laughing. I give him an annoyed look, and he instantly stops laughing and makes his way over to Paisley and me.

He helps me pick her up as she looks at me with a smile. "Tahan, I just really wanted to tell you that-"

She looks around scared and then she leans over and vomits down the front of my dress. I scream and almost drop her, but Davantae picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder. He hikes her up the front of the stairs and then disappears behind a door. When he comes back into view, he is carrying a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, and I slide the dress off quickly.

I wasn't even thinking about the fact that he was standing there as I slipped off my dress, and before I know it, he and I are making out in the hallway of our drunk friend. Like we were a couple of teenagers again. I pull away and begin to put the clothes that he brought me on.

"Do you have to?" he asks me sadly as I slide the shirt on over myself.

"This isn't happening again, Davantae," I say as I walk back over to the living room and flop down on the couch. Flipping the channel, I turn to a documentary on the Hunger Games, and they're showing clips from all of the games. When it gets to the 17th Hunger Games, it pauses when it shows Katherine's victory. I wonder if she's dead yet.

"She's a strong woman," says Davantae. "She knows what she is doing, that is for sure. So many people have tried to kill her. We might as well just add Alexandra to the list of failures."

I look over at him surprised. Davantae knows that I am a government worker that works in close collaboration to the Presidential mansion. The fact that he would be so open with me about his support and admiration with Katherine is surprising. Is he banking on the fact that we are old lovers that I wouldn't say anything?

Then I think back to Cassadee's note.

"Davantae," I say slowly. "If I say the words "Crash Landing" to you, does it mean anything."

He gets a broad smile on his face and walks to the couch to sit down. He turns to face me and then smiles as puts his hand on mine.

"I was hoping you'd figure it out before I just told you." he says.

"What is it? Why did Cassadee think it was so important that she went to her grave for it?"

"There's going to be hell to pay," says Davantae proudly. "Heads are going to roll."

* * *

 **Next chapter is reveal chapter! I have some slots still open...and I need them filled! (I need to work on the blog tbh, but I haven't had a chance to read all the submissions.)**

 **I wrote those lyrics or poems or whatever, so again. Back off.**

 **Tell your friends!**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	5. District 13

**Hello Angel Faces, welcome to the final prologue chapter!**

 **We finally have a full tribute list!**

 **Excited to get this show on the road.**

* * *

 _Though the journey is long_

 _I will carry on_

 _Even if I fall six times_

 _I'll get back up seven_

* * *

 **Katherine Farrow**

 **Rebel on the Run**

I've always hated hiking. I've never understood why people wanted to walk around for fun. It was my least favorite part in my games, it was my least favorite part while President, and now it's my least favorite part while walking to District 13. The good news is that we past District 12 two days ago, and so we should be relatively close according to Lenovo's map.

"How much longer, woman?" ask Adela as she sits in the cloth carrier on Clyde's back. "Dad is smelly, and I am not wanting to continue to smell him."

Alma laughs as she takes the makeshift backpack and puts it on her own back. Adela makes a face as she lifts her, but doesn't put up a fight. We have been on the hike for about two weeks now. The reapings should be starting soon. 24 unsuspecting kids are going to go into another arena and have their lives either end or ruined.

"I'm not sure how much time is left, Sweetie." I tell Adela as she continues to give me an expression full of annoyed sarcasm. "It's a lot to walk, I know, but you're not really even walking. So why're you complaining?"

"Woman, I'm cramped up in this cloth for hours at a time." says Adela bitterly. "I have to short of legs remember?"

The terrain is very rocky, and the last thing I need is for the Mastiff family name to go extinct by the last heir falling through a crack in the mountains and dying. She's been frustrated even since we left the woods, but sometimes, you have to be frustrated.

I know that all too well.

Life has never really been easy for me. At five, my mother killed all of my siblings as she went on a drug induced bender. As I grew up, I had to constantly watch my back with the other girls at the academy, because any of them would want to take me down. As a Victor, I was in a war with a psychopath who continued to try and kill me and everyone I care about, and he almost succeeded with doing so. Now, after being the President, I'm on the run again from another whack job, who belongs to the same family as the first psychopath who wanted me dead.

People can call me resilient all they want, but the truth of the matter is, I wouldn't have to be if not for the Snows. I know this sounds cheesy, but I never asked for any of this. I went into the games with the full expectation that I was going to die. I took on Cornelius with the full intention of saving Bryley, and probably my death. I went into the Presidency completely unaware that it was happening.

It's almost as if I've not been created for a happy ending.

"Wait, I think I see it!" says Lenovo excitedly as he looks over at the huge pile of rubble that is a few yards off. He begins to jump up and down and clapping his hands. "I get to use a toilet again!"

"Don't get your panties in a wad." says Sailor. "From what I've heard, District 13 isn't at all what you're expecting."

"How do you mean?" asks Alma curiously.

"Well, there are a lot of rules," I say. "When you were born I wasn't even allowed an epidural."

Alma shivers as she thinks about what I just told her. "Note to self, don't get pregnant in 13."

Clyde stops walking and swings around rather suddenly. "Note to self, not dating when in here," he says sternly.

"Who'd date Alma? Boy would have to be really nice to put up with her mood swings." says Adela sternly.

"You know what?" she says as she hands Adela back to Clyde. "You can smell the stench kid." Clyde takes Adela and puts him back on her back, and Adela pouts and sticks her tongue out as she stares at Alma. "And Dad, you can't tell me I can't date anymore. I'm not a child anymore. I'm almost 18."

"Yes, almost," says Clyde sternly. "And until you're 18, you will not date."

"Mom!" she says whining as she stares at me. "Tell him he's ridiculous."

"I'm with your father on this one." I say quickly. There are certain things you learn not to fight about with your spouse when you've been married for as long as he and I have. Our daughters dating is one of them. He's very adamant about them waiting.

"This is so unfair. You and Dad were basically living together when you were 18."

"And I know what your mother and I did. You'll not have all of that nonsense at your age."

"EW!" screams Sailor. "Can we NOT talk about this?!"

"What did you do, momma?" ask Adela confused as she stares at us and the reactions everyone in the group is giving. "Did Daddy fart a lot or something?"

I bust out laughing, and everyone in the group lets out an uncomfortable chuckle as the four year old brings the conversation back to a child like level. I'm envious of her. Her mind is so innocent, and so full of imagination and happiness. What it would be like to have the mind of a four year old again.

"Daddy farted all the time," I say. "It was gross."

"I bet it was," says Lenovo with an eye roll.

We walk in silence for the remainder of the way to the bunker. There is an uncomfortable silence as we walk through the rubble that the underground District used to be. We don't actually know if they're going to let us into the District. We couldn't really call them and ask. So we just had hope that our two week journey wasn't going to be for nothing.

When we get to the door that opens the staircase, we press the button on the keypad. A face comes up on a screen directly above it, and their eyes widen. "Katherine?! Katherine Farrow is that you?!"

"Uhm, yes." I say. "Sorry for the lack of presentable appearances-"

Before I could even finish the sentence, the door began to click, and the stairs leading to the underground city are revealed. Clyde is the first one to step down onto the stairwell, followed by Alma. I make sure I'm the last one to enter, and take a final look around the landscape before going underground for who knows how long.

"Well, here's to never seeing the light of day." I say slowly as I descend into the now empty stairwell.

 **Well, that is our last prologue. Our next chapter will be the District 1 Reapings!**

 **If you're selected in my story, I just want to give a couple of reminders.**

 **-Please don't just disappear. Review, let me know what you think.**

 **-Give me your opinions on how I'm writing your characters. Obviously don't be rude, but if I'm not getting something right tell me.**

 **-Let me know if this is good, cause I'm a little frustrated with my chapters 99% of the time.**

 **The blog is also completed. Clb3. Weebly, com**

 **Blog reviews are love because those things take forever,**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	6. District 1 Reapings

_Come on and gather 'round_

 _See the girl made of glass_

 _Shines so pretty in the sun_

 _But breaks at the drop of a hat_

* * *

 **Eliza Orsini, 18**

 **District 1 Female**

I've always wished I was made of stone. Stone is durable, a stone is sturdy. Stone doesn't break when it feels the disappointment of others. Stone doesn't strive for anything but to be a stone. Yes, I've always wished that I was made of stone.

Because maybe if I were like a stone, I'd be strong enough to save him. If I was strong like stone, maybe he wouldn't have died. Maybe if I was able to not worry as much about whether or not he'd make it, I might have a father around to hug when I think about him. If I were stronger, my mother would be able to look at me. I wouldn't be a failure.

I wasn't always this way. I had such a shining past. It sucks to peak early, but I still did it. I was a star. Everything I did was a success. Everything I touched was golden. I could go wherever I wanted, and people would stop me and say hi. I was Eleanor and Ernest's daughter. I was the hope for the family.

It was a perfect fall from grace. I was at the mountain peak, and I could see the world below me. Everything was lining up to perfection, and everything was fitting in with the plan that I made. The perfect plan, as I used to call it.

First medical school, then solve things. I wanted to save the world so badly that I didn't know how to save myself. I was setting myself up for such a drastic fall. The height of the success that I had amounted in the medical field by the time I was 16 was more than most first year licensed professionals could dream of.

But the higher the heights, the greater the fall. The greater the fall, the harder the landing. The harder the landing, the more you break. Correction, break implies that there is fixing your situation after the fall. No, the harder the landing, the more you shatter.

"Eliza!" screams my mother from the kitchen. "Get your ass down here and take care of your chores! Now!"

As I walk downstairs I see the photos that line the walls. The pictures with my father in them have the face cut out, and just for good measure mine were cut out too. Mom kind of lost it when he died. Not in the weeping and sorrowful widow kind of way, but in the she went batshit crazy kind of way.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she says as she sees my feet emerge from the stairs. "What is your sister supposed to come and take care of this!? The house is absolutely filthy, Eliza!"

She throws a pot at me, and I step to the side and watch as it crashes into the wall. As the pot falls, I see the dent in the wall, and I instantly know what is coming as I look and see my mother's face. She turns a different shade as she points her finger at me.

"You!" she screams with tears welling up. "You ruin everything! Can't clean the house! Damage the walls! Can't save your father!"

"That wasn't my fault, Mom," I say coldly.

"Like hell! You saved so many people! Why couldn't you save him?!" she screams as she throws another pot, but this time she leaves the room and walks out the front door. I pick up the pots as I begin to do the chores that my mother had for me.

My father is the reason that I am no longer in the medical field. I worked day and night, hardly ever slept, and he still died. Cancer doesn't pause for a prodigy. It works harder to beat them.

I joined the medical practice to help people. I joined it because there was a certain thrill in saving someone's life.

And now that thrill is gone.

I wasn't able to feel again until I started training. It was ironic that the girl that worked so hard to save lives, the medical prodigy, now is dedicated to taking lives. But when you get that surge when you go to stab someone, or you get that spark of joy when you land a punch into someone, you can't help but want it again.

Want isn't the right word. I need it. I need that to feel alive. I need to go into the Hunger Games to trick myself into believing that I'm actually a person. That I can be that same girl that I was. The golden girl, the success, the hope for the family. They announce who is able to volunteer today. It has to be me.

Nobody believes I can do it, but I'll show them. I'll show everyone in this stupid District that I am someone, and I am a success. I'll kill mercilessly and without any hesitation. No guilt or condemnation will hold me down.

I will do this because I'm Eliza Orsini. I'll do it to feel alive. I'll do it for that mountain top experience.

I'll do it for the thrill.

* * *

 _Look at me standing tall_

 _Look at me on the ball_

 _No money in my pocket_

 _No money in the account_

 _But money doesn't make a man_

 _I'm wealthy where it counts_

* * *

 **Luxulo Kingsmark, 18**

 **District 1 Male**

I'm an acquired taste. I don't fit in with most of the people in my district. I've never really lived the high life here, and being on scholarship to the academy doesn't exactly make me the most popular kid here. In fact, it makes me one of the most targeted. The instructors turn a blind eye, and they can say that they don't look at scholarship kids any different, but I know the truth. They see us as lesser because our parents aren't as wealthy as the non-scholarship kids. We work twice as hard as them, and never get any of the recognition.

As the entirety of the Academy sits in the gym, the scholarship kids are swept to the side. Today is the day we find out who is being selected for the reapings. And though I don't expect to be chosen, I know I deserve to be.

Masque has told me over and over that my skill far outshines any of the silver platter potentials as he calls them. They've never had to work for the title, so they never try hard in training. And it's a huge reason as to why our asses keep getting handed to us recently.

"Hello Potential Tributes," says the Head Trainer Derron Dresmund. Masque stands directly to his right side as assistant trainer and smiles as he looks out into the crowd. I know it's a fake smile because he and I have been working a long time together. I can tell when he's disappointed. It probably means that we are having another Silver Platter go in this year.

"We've worked long and hard on this decision. Most of us have stayed late nights campaigning for who we thought was the best bets to go into the arena this year. As you know District 1 has taken a few hits these last few years, and because of that, the Capitol is starting to get bored with us. We need a Victor this year, and we feel the two tributes we have chosen are the best of the best we have to offer." he says as he continues to address the crowd. "We are making history this year, ladies and gentlemen."

The crowd cheers as he says this and then he holds up his hand to silence the crowd. "For the girls," he says as he raises his hand. "Can the five potential girls we got into contact with stand up."

They keep who is selected under wraps until this very moment so there isn't an "accident" with one of them. When he asks the girls to stand up Glamour Belafonte, Blush Val Cruz, Eliza Orsini, Cindy Pekkanen, and Alexa Diamond stand up. None of these girls are exactly a surprise except for Cindy who is absolutely awful at everything she does during training. There is no way she got selected by skill. Her dad had to make some sort of donation to the academy.

"Ladies we want to thank you for making this choice so hard. For many hours we debated on who we thought was the best, and at the end of the day, we decided that the female tribute representing District 1 this year is…" he pauses for dramatic effect. "ELIZA ORSINI!"

The other four girls throw a number of fits as they sit down quickly while Eliza's face looks shocked. For the first time, well ever, I see her smile as she waves at the audience and walks down to the stage to hug her personal trainer. She lifts her arms up in Victory, and I can tell that the girl feels a genuine glee about entering the games this year.

"Now for the boys," says the Head Trainer as the audience starts to calm down. "Let me tell you if we debated the girls for hours; we discussed the boys for days. There were long nights, and many arguments took place over who should be the one to enter the arena," says Derron as he shoots a glance at Masque. I can't help but chuckle.

"If you were one of the five boys selected for the potential trials, please stand up," Derron says with an excited tone.

Onyx Grave, Sensation Ellis, Orion Amandus, Jackary Smith, and myself all stand up. There is an audible gasp as they see a scholarship kid standing where we never get to be acknowledged in a situation like this. That's the problem with this academy. What's the point of having us in on scholarship if we aren't treated with the same respect as everyone else?

"After many hours it came down to just two of you, Luxulo and Jackary. I want you to know that this was the hardest choice we have ever had to make in the academy as far as picking a tribute goes. Both of you are so skilled and would have an equal chance of winning these games. What it came down to in the end was honestly a single vote."

Knots are erupting in my stomach as I wait for him to announce who will get this coveted prize. Eliza is taking turns staring at both of us back and forth, and then her eyes settle on me and she raises them. She points to me very quickly and nods in respect and quickly puts her hand down as fast as she raised it.

"Without further ado, ladies, and gentlemen. Your male tribute for District 1 this year is.." he pauses again for dramatic effect. "Luxulo Kingsmark!"

My knees almost give out as all of the academy scholarship kids scream in joy. Because of me they have a chance, and if I win, they'll finally be taken seriously. They raise me over their heads and begin passing me down the row of bleachers and place me safely on the floor where Masque is waiting to greet me. He wraps me in a tight bear hug once I'm able to get my footing again.

"I knew you could do it. Make these rich clowns regret ever underestimating you," he says.

"I will," I whisper back as he lets go and raises my hand above me in victory.

* * *

 _I was taught to cross my T's and dot my I's_

 _Always have my roots dyed_

 _I never leave the house unmade_

 _Always keep my hair straight._

 _My eyes are lined, and lips are glossed_

 _Face is on; my mask is done_

* * *

 **Everleigh Becton, 25**

 **District 1 Escort**

I always hate coming to 1. These girls are all so naturally pretty. They don't have to work for it at all. Meanwhile, it takes me at least an hour and a half just to take care of my hair. And if I'm having a bad hair day, here I am working double time to look at least half way presentable.

I walk up the stage and smile as the audience claps respectfully upon seeing me. The 18 year olds all have a look of confliction on their face. My guess is there is a lot of controversy this year over who the tributes were. The Head Trainer warned me right as I got off the train that this was going to be a rough ceremony.

But a rough ceremony makes for great television.

"Hello District 1," I say with a smile. The normal hoots and hollers begin to erupt in the audience as I wave politely and wait for them to settle down. "My name is Everleigh Beckton, and I am honored to be back for my fourth year as District 1's Escort!" I clear my throat as I continue to talk. "You know why we have the Hunger Games, because so long ago, your ancestors started a rebellion that nearly ended this great country. The Mercay's made this an annual tradition that shows you how merciful the Capitol is, and that we will forgive, but not forget. As usual, we will have ladies first."

I walk back to the bowl and just grab the first card my hand touches. There is no point in trying for the dramatics in a career district. These kids are going to volunteer the second my voice can get out the first name of the real reaped tribute.

"The female tribute selected by the drawing," I say in a sarcastic tone that sends the audience into a laughing session. "Is Heavenly Applegate!"

"I volunteer!" screams a female from the 18-year-old section. She struts her way to stage, and people clear a path for her. There is a certain intensity about her that makes me feel a bit uneasy. Like she might be a little too eager, and she's holding back. When she gets to the stage, she stands next to me, and flips her hair behind her shoulder and stares at me blankly.

"What's your name, dear?"

"Eliza Orsini." she says very matter-of-factly.

"Do you have anything you'd like to say to the District?"

"No, " she says again in the same tone.

Yikes.

I walk back to the stage eager to get away from the gi and dreading that I have to ride on a train with her to get back to the Capitol. I walk to the boy's bowl and grab an envelope from the bowl. Again, I don't bother with the dramatics and walk directly back to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your male tribute is…"

"I volunteer!" screams a boy from the 18-year-old section.

"That guy!" I say with a chuckle as he makes his way up. Similar to his district partner, there is a certain intensity about him that catches my attention. It's not as offputting as Eliza's however. He's just very...passionate.

"And what's your name, handsome?"

"My name is Luxulo Kingsmark. I'm going to show the entire country that just because someone isn't as privileged doesn't mean they aren't worth it. I will be the Victor of the 32nd Hunger Games. This one is for the scholarship kids!" He gets a lot of cheers and whistles, and I figure that this is as good a time as any to end the ceremony.

"District 1," I scream. "I give you your tributes! Luxulo Kingsmark and Eliza Orsini!"

 **It's getting rather difficult writing original lyrics for each tribute and character, but I hope you guys enjoy them! I like the challenge.**

 **Here are our first two tributes. What did you think of them? Sorry, this got out so late. I'm going to try and get a weekly update out. No promises though.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	7. District 2 Reapings

_I'll be your Bonnie you be my Clyde_

 _Together we can ride or die_

 _Blazing the highway, switching the lanes_

 _Watching our troubles all fade away_

* * *

 **Maisla Delisse, 17**

 **District 2 Female**

This simulator is actually the worst arena I've ever seen. Not exactly because of the simulation itself, but because of the terrain of the arena. It's an old department store. Man, I freakin' wish the Capitol would send my ass into the games in a department store. I'd pitch a fit so fast.

We are in the top 10, and the feast is about to start. I'm ready to kill these people and get out of here. They are using this simulation to decide the two volunteers that are going into the game, but everyone knows it's going to be me and Ishmael. It was always going to be us. We're the only two worth anything in this entire Academy, and I plan to prove that while in the games this year.

I'm in the freezer section of the supermarket. The simulation allows us to feel the surroundings of the arena we are in, so we will feel the stabs, really feel the choking, really feel all of the pain and blows. We also feel all the damn heat they have turned up in this mug.

I am standing in front of one of the doors and allowing the cold air to blow on me when I begin to hear some footsteps steppin' up behind me. I turn around just as Milian Krause is about to stick a knife in my back.

"Oh the hell no." I say as I swiftly punch her in the face, and she drops the knife. She starts to try and get up and run away when I take off into a dead sprint and tackle her. Both of our bodies fall to the ground, and she begins to squirm away and I punch her in the gut to make her stop.

"No mam. Lose like a warrior." I say. "Riddle me this, Milan. If your trick ass thinks that you were gonna win being sneaky, why you over here thinkin' you need to go into the games. We are not an outer District. We are District 2. Girl, bye." I say as I snap her neck. I stand up and watch as the simulation of the girl disappears before my eyes. A giant number 10 appears over the place where her body was and I smile. 9 more to go.

The thing about District 2 is you don't have very many options. You train to be a Peacekeeper, and even then there is this weird initiation that you go through because the rumor is they used to be a gang. You can be a weaponry assembler. Which is basically just factory work. Literally everyone is in factory work. You can be a trainer at the academy, but everyone knows if you're a trainer it's because you were a Hunger Games reject. Or you can win the games and win in glory.

I can't not go in the Hunger Games. It's all I know. It's all I have.

"Alright, potentials, so we're a bit bored just watching you run around and act a fool." says the head trainer. "Some of you are just showing off at this moment. We need you to come and just get this over with. Come to the main check out where the cornucopia is and just go until there is a boy and a girl left."

I begin my walk to the cornucopia and see the remaining 9 tributes coming out of their hiding spots. I don't bother to walk slowly. I walk straight to the weapons and grab a sword from the pile in the middle of the room and then turn and hurl it at the nearest girl next to me. She disappears and I move on to the others in the group. There are five more girls left in the group. 4 more bitches to get through and the title is mine.

"Are we going to do this or not?" I ask.

After I ask that absolute chaos begins, and people began running around left and right, I keep seeing numbers pop up everywhere, and before I know it, I have three girls surrounding me.

"You didn't handle that with respect." one girl spits at me. "You didn't even give her a chance."

"Bitch," I say with a chuckle. "Get the hell out of here. This is the Hunger Games, what the hell are you going to do?" I ask sarcastically. "Oh look, we are in a fight for our lives. Quick let me give you a weapon so you have more of a chance to kill my ass." I mock them as I look around at the girls who are getting a little too close for comfort.

"Whatever, you bitch." says one of the girls with a knife. "Time to die."

She runs at me, and I slap the bottom of her hand, and it embeds into the girl's chest. She disappears, and the other two girls run and jump at me. I am able to take my knife and stick it one of the girls. She also disappears, but the other girl manages to get on top of me and begins to choke me.

"You're too cocky. You deserve to suffer," she says as she squeezes the breath from my lungs. "Hope you don't pass out in the simulator-"

She disappears, and I see Ishmael standing up behind her as he rolls his eyes.

"BITCH!" I scream as I get up. "I had her right where I wanted her. What the hell are you thinkin' comin' in and savin' me like that? You gonna do that in the final 2 in the real games?! Get the hell out of here."

"Thank you, Ishmael would be a more appropriate response to the events that just transpired-"

He disappears, and I'm left standing before some little weird lookin' boy as he stands with a dagger in his hand.

"Oh the hell not!" I scream as the simulation starts to take the boy and me out and place us back into reality.

* * *

 _Some say I'm bratty_

 _Some say I'm flat_

 _I say I'm special_

 _It's a matter of fact_

* * *

 **Kyper Bridger, 18**

 **District 2 Male**

I come back into reality after the simulation brings me and the girl that just got saved back into the games. I'm not sure if I'd want to go into the games if I was so close to getting beaten in a simple simulator game, but at the same time what happened to her would never happen to me.

I take the helmet off and am about to walk out of the curtain covering my booth when the curtain gets ripped off by the girl that just earned her spot in the games.

"What in the actual hell are you thinkin' is going?!" she says. "You're not goin' into these games with me. You're a literal nothin'. Ishmael has worked his ass off to be here, and you are just gonna show up and try and steal his crown?!"

"Honey," I say as I push past her in a confident and stuck up way. "I did not try to steal his crown. I came for it and conquered." I say with a quick smile that I hope she can tell is fake. "Have a nice day. See you on the train."

I begin to walk away when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It yanks me around, and I'm standing face to face, well, top of the head to face with the girl that was just yelling at me. "I wasn't finished," she says. "Tell them you don't want to go in so he can get his rightful spot," she demands staring at me.

I turn and look around the room. I realize there is no one behind me, so this bitch is obviously trying to come for me, but I don't back down when someone steps up to me. I clap back.

"What are you doin'?! Are you confused? I told you to do somethin'."

"Bitch, I'm looking for who you're talking to right now. Because I _know_ you aren't looking in my general direction and spouting out these words. Do you know who I am? I'm Kyper Bridges, and don't think for a second I won't mess you up just because you're a girl. We're about to go into the Hunger Games together, sweetie." I say condescendingly. "You can either get with it, or be a target of mine. But I promise there is only one way you get through the bloodbath. If you're smart, you'll let this go."

"Oh, Honey no, what are you doin'?" she says with a chuckle. "You're not wantin' to mess with me. Like, baby boy, you have no chance. Trust me when I say that."

"Well," I say as I squat down to her height and lean in. "I guess we will see then, won't we?" I say as I turn and leave the room and walk down the hallway.

Who does this girl think she is talking to me like that? I'm Kyper Bridges! I'm better than everyone in this place put together, and then you can add a few more and I'd still be the best. This bitch is absolutely out of her mind if she thinks for a split second that she is going to make me back down from this. This has been my dream for so long. I deserve it-

"You're doing it again, Kyper." I murmur to myself as I stop mid stride in the middle of the stairway entry to the Academy. I close my eyes and begin to count out loud to 10 like Brook taught me. I think back to my last session with him and begin to work through the steps that he taught me on how to deal with my situation.

" _NPD isn't life threatening, Kyper. It's very manageable. You just have to remember that your narcissism isn't something that you can let overtake you. You're bigger than your illness. You have to remind yourself that everyone is special."_

" _But sometimes those punk ass bitches try to squash my special,"_ I replied to him. " _What do I do then?"_

" _You know who you are, Kyper. It doesn't matter what they say."_

"You know who you are, Kyper." I say slowly as I breathe in slowly through my nose. "Everyone is special. It's not just you." I continue to breathe and repeat that to myself as I wait for the mood to pass, and my emotions to calm down. When they finally settle I smile, because everytime I overcome my disease and acknowledge that I'm wrong it's one less hold that it has on me.

I am not my sickness. I am Kyper Bridges.

I continue my walk down the road when I realize that I just won a spot in the Hunger Games. That little trick distracted me from the celebration that I should have had in the academy, but I don't see her around right now. This is my day to celebrate. My time to excel. I am going to win these Hunger Games, and when I do, I will come back and make a real name for myself.

Get ready District 2. You're going to see my name in lights for a long time after this year. This games will be a walk in the park for me.

* * *

 _There's gotta be something more out there_

 _Beyond the concrete jungle and street lights_

 _But I was made for more than the city life_

* * *

 **Rondel Shayman, 30**

 **District 2 Escort**

I hate this job more than anything else in the entire universe. It's sad that every year I take two kids away, and then I'm lucky if I get to return with one of them. This whole experience sucks, and if I didn't receive salary all year for my time that I give during this short two week period than I wouldn't even consider doing it.

But this is Panem, and I'm not exactly allowed to have more than a few options. At least this one is better than a trash man.

"Welcome to the District 2 Reapings!" I say with a smile. "This year is bound to be exciting, and I know that above all District 2 will give us a lovely show!" I say enthusiastically. "I know how seriously you guys take this, and honestly, I think it would be cool to change it up a bit this year. Rather than having a reaping, why doesn't the female volunteer for this game just go ahead and walk up?"

There is a long pause, and I'm a bit confused as to why. Normally it's a sprint for the stage in case another girl tries to take the spot, but then in the first row I see a girl that looks at her friend and is hugging her. They're talking about something, so I'm assuming that it's one of them. She looks at her best friend and does a quick handshake with her that was sweet enough to give me diabetes, and also make me want to lose my lunch, and then she walks up to the stage.

The first thing I notice is the way she holds herself. She's a cute girl, but nothing about her is physically striking. She has a lot of confidence though, and I can tell that she is sure of her abilities. It should be interesting to see her in the game this year.

"Hello, why don't you tell us your name?"

"My name is Maisla Delisse, I'm seventeen years old, and I'm gonna win the Hunger Games this year."

She doesn't say it like she's trying to convince someone or even herself. She states it like a fact, which impresses me.

"Well, Maisla, I'm very excited to see you play this year."

"Thank you," she says with a smile, and then she reaches for the mic. "Ishmael, Honey, I'm sorry you were robbed by that trick ass bitch who is about to walk onto the stage. I hope you're proud of me when I take his ass out for you."

She hands me back the mic and then goes to the back of the stage, and I'm left with my jaw on the floor as to what just happened.

"Uh, can the so called," I clear my throat because this is uncomfortable. "Trick ass bitch, make their way to the stage?" can I even say that on national television?

A slender boy walks up to the stage. He has shaggy long brown hair, and he is just as confident as his District partner. When he makes it to the stage, he smiles at me and then turns to her and shoots her the finger. She returns the gesture, and then he turns back to me and smiles.

"Hi, prior to the announcement made, my name is not Trick Ass Bitch. My name is Kyper Bridges, and it's kind of cute that she thinks she is going to beat me." he says with a chuckle. "Honey, I can't wait for your head to roll." he says looking at her. "District 2," he says turning back to them. "Thank you for believing in me and making your male volunteer. I promise that I will prove just how valuable I am."

He walks back to the stage and again I'm left speechless. "Uh, so, I'm not sure how much of that is going to get edited out, but I will say that I'm excited to see where this game goes. Good luck to the Hunger Games tributes, and, uh, District 2 I give you your tributes! Maisla Delisse and Kyper Bridges!"

 **I had so much fun writing this chapter. These two are going to be SO much FUN.**

 **What did you think?**

 **Who do you like so far?**

 **Think the careers are going to do well?**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	8. District 3 Reapings

_There are ghost that lives in everyone's past_

 _They lurk in the shadows_

 _Slithering around like a snake in the grass_

 _The past has a way of revealing itself_

 _It also has a way of repeating itself_

* * *

 **Hindi Kabyle, 17**

 **District 3 Female**

"Panem, as your President I demand that action is taken against the wretched rebel Katherine Farrow. How in the blasted name of all that is good is this woman able to escape so many times?" ask Alexandra Rabbel on her daily news cap. I've decided to call it Kat Watch, how ironic that Katherine just happens to be sly like one. "We are not a weak nation. I am not a weak President. This injustice of what is happening will not stand. We will fight back. We will not let this traitorous woman inflict any more danger in this country!" she says as she fades from the screen and it once again returns to the black empty glass that it was before the mandatory news clicked on.

I don't like Alexandra. Of course, I respect her out of obligation, but liking and respecting are two very different things. She is very loose with her words. Which as a leader, and an educated human being, in general, is a not flattering trait to have. How can one be an effective leader, or even a productive person if they don't think before they speak?

Words are the most dangerous form of combat in our society today. The government knows it, and that's why they've created avoxs. However, avox wasn't something that was designed as a punishment but meant to take care of the people that spoke a different language that lived in our country initially.

Before Panem took over, my family was one of the wealthiest names in all of New York City. My mother and father were around in America before this government took over. They were around 13 when Panem took over, but both of their families were very intuned with other cultures. They became obsessed with languages. It's actually how they met; their parents enrolled them in a Mandarin class at the start of their 7th-grade year.

The term avox was created for someone who couldn't learn English fast enough. If the government didn't know what you were saying, and you weren't making any progress in learning the English language, it was a simple fix and a cheap work force. However, over the years it has evolved into a punishment. For rebels, people that steal, or commit seriously offensive crimes in the eyes of the Capitol.

Like there is something more sinister than sending a bunch of kids to their deaths every year.

My family was stationed in District 3 with the last name Hyrusha. The District was asked to make any person with a foreign last name, or a name that makes them sound like they speak a different language, to change it to a more "District 3" sounding name. Whatever that means.

My family picked Kabyle, not because it's a play on cable. They picked it because it's a foreign language, and it's not known. My siblings and I's names are all different languages as well. It was a way for my parents to stick a middle finger to the government.

They attempted to teach us some of the languages they know, but when you're young, you can't learn more than one language in Panem. My parents didn't want to risk us going out in public as a child and us accidentally speaking another language. So though my parents have a great love and appreciation for languages, they can't pass it on to their children.

I honestly think that kills them.

What kills me is that certain patterns are repeating themselves in Panem right now. We've only been a country for 33 years. 33 years and we've had several different power struggles, and coups as the country continues to try to go about like nothing is happening.

That's just not how things should work. It's not how anything should work. History repeats itself. We always have the burden of the past, and if we aren't aware of the patterns that it brings, we will always keep having to live with it. I want nothing more than the government in power to see this for what it is and to be able to put a halt to this.

But power is as power does, and it corrupts even the best of hearts.

"I can't figure out who she reminds me of," says Mom as she stares at the empty tv screen and snaps me out of my thoughts. "There was someone that was living during the time of America she reminds me of. I don't think she was American though."

"Hitler," I say. "She reminds me of Hitler."

"Yes!" says mom with a swift nod. "She reminds me of Adolph Hitler. I see you've been reading the history book I gave you for your last birthday, Hindi."

"It's cool to know where we come from," I say quickly. "Even if people are trying to stamp it out."

I get up and walk back to my room and close the door. I look around the blank room that I wasn't allowed to decorate in fear for if my home was ever raided by the Peacekeepers. I walk over to the loose floor board I hide all of my Pre-Panem items and look for the History book. I pick it up and quickly flip through the pages as I search for the chapter on Adolph Hitler.

"Not quite the holocaust," I say, "But Alexandra is on a crusade of her own."

* * *

 _Racing the cops like you're on a high-speed chase_

 _Zipping through the freeway, changing the lanes_

 _You realize it's broken; you realize it's feeble_

 _But you convince yourself that this is what dreams are made of_

* * *

 **Lexus Allen, 14**

 **District 3 Male**

"Hi Lexus!" says Zander as he stares at me with great anticipation. I told him I would have his car ready for him the next time I saw him, and of course, I have it with me, but I'm going to let him think that I failed to do it just to mess with him.

"Hey, Zander!" I say with a cheesy smile. "How're you? You looking for something?"

"Lexus!" he says with an exasperated tone of voice. "My car! You said I could have my car!"

"Oh, you mean that car I told you I would make for you?" I say trying to restrain my chuckle as I feel the wheels in my pocket. "I don't have that car. Sorry, bud."

His eyes got a little sad as he looks at me with a worried look. "It's okay, Lexus," he says slowly.

"I'm just kidding, Zander," I say with a bright smile as I pull the car out of my pocket. The boy's whole face lights up when he sees the red car that I made him from the recyclables that people in our District throw out.

He eagerly grabs the car out of my hands and begins to run around making race car noises. I smile as I watch him play, and then reality snaps back to me when I feel a hand on my shoulder that reminds me why I'm here in the first place.

"You Lexus?" ask a scruffy voiced man as I turn and see the red beard that my father said I would. I stick my hand out and give him a stern look.

"Yeah, that's me. Barborosa?" I ask giving him a suspicious eye.

"How many gingers you know around these parts, kid?" he asks me as he hands me a duffle bag. "Where's the cash?"

"Here." I say." Taking out a large wad of money and handing it to him. That money could feed my whole family for probably a year, but Dad is to wrapped up in this community now. He can't get out now.

Neither of us can.

"Can't blame a kid for being careful."

"Actually," says the giant man with the red beard, "I can." He turns around and stalks off with the money that I just handed him over. I turn and begin to walk when I see that Zander is talking with one of the guys from my father's gang. The gang member is holding up drugs to him and is talking to him about it.

"Then you put it on top of fire, and you inject it into your-"

"That's enough," I say coming over to the member standing in between him and Zander. "He's 10. He doesn't need to know about this stuff."

"I had my first hit when I was 10." says the gang member with a shrug. "Kids need to learn sometime. There's no life for the factory workers here in 3. Might as well start them young so they can eventually work their way up."

"Zander and any other kid are off limits. That's an order."

"Do you think that just because you're your father's son you can talk to me like that, boy?" says the gang member getting close and in my face. "I'm one of his squad. He has loyalty to me."

"I don't know," I say sternly. "Want me to ask him and find out who he is more loyal to?"

The gang member looks at me with an angry look and then brushes past me as I begin to walk back to where my dad told me to make the drop. I've never done drugs, they've never interested me. I've seen them rip apart families around the District, and I just never wanted that for myself.

I never wanted this for myself either.

You know those people that always wished that they had their life together more? Those people that always say one day, until it's too late, and then they have to live with themselves? That's me.

I want something more in life than being a drug mule or a number in a gang. I want to experience life, and experience the beauty of it. I want to design cars, or something mechanical. Help children, and just make this place a better place than before I left it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures though, and unfortunately for me, my whole life has been a bit desperate.

I walk over to the trash can that is marked with a dent in the shape of our gang logo and drop the drugs into it. Before I even get a chance to leave the alley way a man comes from behind the dumpster and starts digging in it.

"Thanks, kid," he says as he walks away.

* * *

 _Let the haters weave their tales of lies_

 _Let the floor shake and the water rise_

 _I will stand tall above it all_

 _I will be victorious over them all_

* * *

 **Ashton Perrywinkle, 30**

 **District Escort**

They stuck me with District 3?! District 3 of all the Districts in this freaking country.

"Ashton, we know you usually have District 4, but that's our most popular District, and you're a little old now don't you think, hon?"

Who were they to even tell me that?! I'm not old. I am a freaking icon in this country! The people will be outraged that I am not in my typical District, and District 4 will revolt. You mark my words.

"Hello, you horrible and malnourished people of District 3," I say as I look over into the audience with an angry wave setting in. "I am not happy to be here; I'm sure you're freaking excited to see me. No, I won't sign autographs. You're here because your ancestors messed up and tried to revolt, and now you'll be punished yadda yadda yadda, you know the drill. I'll handle the girls first."

I walk back to the girl's bowl and pull a name out of the glass container. Walking back to the front of the stage I smile an obviously fake smile to the audience as I open the envelope and pull the name out from the inside.

"Hindi Kabyle." I read aloud in a pretending to be shocked tone. "Any volunteers?!" I say with fake enthusiasm. As I predicted, no one volunteers for the girl that comes from the 17-year-old section.

She says nothing, and I can't read her face as she walks up to the stage and stands before me. She sticks out her hand to shake mine, but I don't reach back to shake hers. She nods her head and walks to the back of the stage.

"You don't have anything to say?" I ask angrily as I stare at her. She nods her head no.

"Fine!" I say as I walk back to the boy's section and pull a name out of the glass container. I walk back to the front of the stage, and not even pretending to be excited this time; I read out the male tribute.

"Lexus Allen," I say.

No one comes up, and eventually, a path clears for the 14-year-old section, and the Peacekeepers are dragging a boy up to the stage. He looks stunned as he stares out at the audience, and I don't see myself getting anything out of him either.

"District 3," I say with false pride. "I give your tributes. Hindi Kabyle and Lexus Allen!"

 **I know I suck. I haven't forgotten I promise. I've been OVERWHELMED with school lately. I'm in an online class, and it is only a month long, so I have a lot to do in a short amount of time.**

 **Updates should become more regular as the summer ends and school starts regularly, and I can jump back into a schedule.**

 **What did you think of these two? Good, bad, awful? Sorry if the writing is out of practice.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	9. District 4 Reapings

_I was never one for falling in line._

 _Never had a normal grasp on life_

 _This place I'm in is not my home_

 _Even though I've tried so hard to make it so_

* * *

 **Alia Sennett, 18**

 **District 4 Female**

Everyone has a story to tell. The people that you walk down the hallways with, all have something in their life that makes them significant. Or at least they think makes them significant. I have always said that crowded hallways are the most telling places ever because if you really watch people, and I mean _watch_ them, their body language will tell you everything you need to know about that person. Are they interacting with people? Are they standing against the wall alone? Are they bubbly and loud?

But what happens if those reactions are all a fraud? What happens if your basic mindset and intuitions aren't your instincts by personality, but survival? Those are the people that are the most dangerous in life. They don't have a basis to put anything on except what they observe. They don't have an understanding of who they are, other than just wanting to fit in.

My name is Alia Sennett, and though I'd like to think more of myself, I'm sadly just that person. I couldn't tell you when I started putting together these pieces of myself, or even where to find them in your own conscious. The truth of the matter is, that when you find it, it's hard to take anything other than that.

I've been invisible my whole life. Flying under the radar has always been a unique skill that I have managed to pull out of my hat of tricks. However, it hasn't made training easy, especially talking to the other academy trainees.

They see me as this weird girl that just is there. My skills aren't exceedingly excellent in any particular area, my strategy isn't exactly the most amazing, but I have a lot of heart. And when you have the most recent Victor from 4 pulling for you, then you're able to make a lot of impressions with people.

"Alia?" I hear from behind me.

I take a sharp turn, and my left knee throbs in pain. I wince and grab ahold of the wall as I close my eyes and wait for the pain to pass. When I open my eyes, Bryden is left looking at me with a concerned look.

"Your knee is flaring up again?" she asks me concerned as she looks me up and down.

"Nothing the steroid I got from the nurse won't fix," I say as I take a deep breath and begin to walk normal again. It hurts to not limp, and probably a bit dangerous, but I refuse to be seen limping right now. Not when the most important time of the year, when they pick the volunteers, is a couple of days away. "How'd it go?" I ask as I give her a hopeful look.

"Promising." she says giving me a grin back. "They like you a lot, Alia. They're worried about the knee thing, and I had to be honest when I said that it still flares up from time to time. I'm sure I could get you sponsors to give you some sort of steroid while in the games. I downplayed it a lot."

"Who's the other girl?" I ask hesitantly. I already know who, it's Reefe. It's always been Reefe and me, and now that we are both 18 it's going to be a bloodbath just getting to the stage on reaping day.

"Reefe," says Bryden confirming my suspicion. "They aren't as confident she has the emotional stability to make it through the games though. She just broke it off with Malachi, and you know they were like-"

"Soul-mates." I mock with air quotes while I chuckle to myself. They broke up more times than a soap-opera couple my mother watches. It was easy to tell when Reefe and Malachi broke up because she would walk around for a couple of hours and not say anything. She's not that type of girl.

"Young love, what can you do?" says Bryden as she chuckles herself. We walk down the empty halls of the academy, and my heart begins to beat quickly. In about a minute and a half the new bell schedule will sound off in the first period, and I'll be walking at a normal pace, and not this slower one that Bryden pretends not to notice.

"You need to sit down, and we can pretend to talk or something?" asks Bryden as she looks at me with a small smile.

"Why?" I say like I do every time. "I'm fine. Just tired today is all."

"Come sit with me," she says as she grabs my hand and leads me over to a bench. "I'm tired."

When the bell sounds, hundreds of kids start to rush the hallways of the District 4 training academy. We are in the 2nd year hall, so it's all the 13-year-olds that dream of going into the games walking out of their history class on the past games.

"Did you hear that they announce who is going into the games soon?!" says one of the little girls jumping up and down. "That's going to be me one day!"

"Yeah me too!" says her friend excited.

"Or not," I whisper under my breath as I watch them walk away and out of the building. "The academy is a rough place."

* * *

 _I just want to lay in the sun_

 _With the shore crashing up against my body_

 _Teaching me the rhythm of the wild_

 _Teaching me the rhythm of freedom_

* * *

 **Aeron Caloss, 18**

 **District 4 Male**

"This is an unusually quiet party," says Malachi as he grabs my hand and smiles. I pull my hand back, probably a little too quickly, and he frowns. This situation, ladies, and gentlemen, is why you don't mix alcohol when you have a friend that you're attracted to. It makes for a messy situation.

"I'm sorry," I say quickly. "I'm not sure how I feel about everything yet, and I don't want to give you the wrong idea."

"It's okay, Heather was eyeing me from across the room anyways," says Malachi quickly. "You know where to find me if you want. Or get drunk enough," he says with a wink as he makes his way to the crowd and stops at the girl that I presume is Heather.

"Well that wasn't awkward at all," says Lucy as she appears behind me suddenly. I jump but then laugh. I was nervous that I was going to have to stand against the wall quietly now that Chi left to go attempt to make me jealous. "Why don't you just talk to him about it? I thought you were comfortable with all that stuff?"

"I know my sexuality." I snap back quickly. "It's not as easy as it seems when it's a friend from the sandbox years, Luce," I say. "I like boys. I like girls. Everyone knows that. I just don't want to jump into a big relationship because I had a little too much to drink one night and hooked up with my best friend."

"But do you like him?" she asks me. "And I'm going to ignore the tone that you just used against me and chalk it up to jealous hormonal rage."

"I don't know," I say apologetically back to her. "I didn't mean to snap."

"You got lost in your head," she says. "I know the deal at this point, Aeron. I just hope you don't ruin a friendship because of your fear of ruining it." she cocks her head to the side and then begins to laugh. "Oh my gosh, I've way to much to drink to be talking like that." she laughs as she punches me in the arm. "Loosen up. You're going into the Hunger Games; your competition is stick-up-her-ass Alia and your hot. Go hook up with someone on your last night of real freedom."

"I think I'll take a walk instead," I say as I move towards the front door of the party and walk out. I kick off my shoes and begin to walk throughout the sand. It's cold out on the beach tonight, and I shiver a little bit as I walk down to the shoreline, and let the waves dance across my feet. I close my eyes and listen to the sounds of the ocean and smile. I've always loved it here. Everything is always so loud. There's never silence in the wild.

I lean down and roll up my jeans, and plop down into the sand. I let out a loud scream as I kick my feet up into the air and land on my back. Letting out all this pent up frustration, whether it be sexual or stress induced, is exactly what I needed tonight. Especially the night before I go to the games and am thrown into a mess of stress.

"Same." says a quiet voice behind me. I open my eyes and see Alia standing above me. She walks over to my side and sits down in the sand and stares out at the ocean. The sunlight reflects off her blonde frizzy hair, and she leans back on her elbows.

"Isn't this not your scene?" I ask her hoping my tone didn't sound as annoyed as I thought it did.

"A quiet beach?" she responds. "Isn't this more not _your_ scene?" she asks me quickly back. "Are you going to pick at me right now, or can we just have a moment to enjoy the beach of our District before we potentially leave it forever?"

"Congratulations on being picked by the way. It's a real honor." I say to her ignoring her request for quiet. "I thought it would be you over Reefe. She is still a bit obsessed with Malachi."

"Well, he did cheat on her with you," Alia says

I pop my head up in surprise at her accusation and then instantly try to hide my surprise look. She grins as she still doesn't look at me and continues to look out into the ocean. "How'd you know?" I asked.

"I assumed. I saw him grab your hand in the party. I also heard her talking about how he cheated on her in the gym locker room. Are you out?" she asks me quickly.

"I thought everyone knew," I say. "I am not big into labels. I just do what I want."

"Or who," she says with a slight chuckle. I grin as I lay back into the sand and look up at the sky. The tide is rising higher now, and the bottom of my jeans is soaked.

"I have your back," I say quickly to her. "I know that might not mean much in the place we are going. But I'm down for a District 4 all the way."

"Deal," she says as she finally looks towards me and smiles. "I'm going to go home now. Good luck tomorrow, Aeron," she says as she gets up and dusts her shorts off. She begins to walk down the beach, and I hear footsteps come up behind me again as she walks away.

"Aeron," says Malachi as he comes and lays beside me. He wraps his hand in mine, and I accept the embrace this time. "Please tell me you're going to get back to me."

"I'm gonna try, Chi," I say as he leans his head against my shoulder. "I'm gonna try."

* * *

 _First things first_

 _I'm kind of a man eater_

 _I eat their heart like a buffet_

 _They serve it to me on a silver platter_

* * *

 **Epiphany Elder, 23**

 **District Escort**

District 4 has some attractive young men in District 4. Like oh my goodness, someone get me a fan, because I think I'm about to get a heat stroke! There's something about their tanned skin, and naturally muscle bodies from being in a District where they require manual labor and academy training.

Epiphany, calm down, you're on business right now.

I walk onto the stage as all the sexy District citizens are lined up in their age groups. I take a deep breath as I stare at the 18-year-old male section and try to contain myself as I want to grab the closest one and touch their abs. I'm only 23. It wouldn't be that bad, would it?

"Hello, District 4!" I say with an excited tone into the microphone. "I'm so excited to be here today! And I'm more than happy to see all your bright and shiny faces on this lovely morning!"

The crowd cheers and I smile as I soak up the cheers. The boys are rowdy as they hoot and holler. They raise their fist into the air, and I can't help but blush as I think about how cute they are.

"First things first, the female tribute!" I say as I walk back to the bowl and begin to dig out the envelopes. I'm doing this merely for dramatic effect, but also because I know that my heels are super high, and I have to bed down to get my hand into the bowl. They all have to check out my butt.

And who wouldn't want to check out my butt?

"The lucky female tribute for this year is-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" screams a female voice. I turn to the 18- year-old female section, which isn't nearly as impressive as the male section, and see a blonde frizzy haired girl walking out of the crowd. She's small in frame, and if I'm sincere, I'm not getting a good read on her. She seems to be good at hiding her emotions as she is literally stone faced, as most of the girls in District 4 go for the cute approach.

"Well, what's your name, dear?" I ask her. I do a sigh of relief as I'm way prettier than her.

"My name is Alia Sennett," she says stoically. "I'm excited to represent my District, and hopefully I can bring it home this year!"

The audience cheers as I resist the urge to roll my eyes. This girl is so small she'll be lucky if she makes it to day 3. I walk to the boy's bowl and just quickly pull a name out of the bowl. I don't want to give them too much excitement that they can't handle it all at once.

I walk back to the microphone as the cheers for Alia die down, and I open up the envelope. "The male tribute for this year's games is-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" screams a male voice from the 18-year-old section. I eager turn to see a blonde haired boy walk out of the crowd.

"Oh, hot damn," I say, and then realize I said it into the microphone and begin to blush. I can't help it though; the boy is attractive! He has a gorgeous face, and as he gets closer to me, I can see his striking blue eyes pierce through my very soul. He has a nice build on him, and he seems a little aggressive. I like aggressive.

"And what is your name?" I say as I clear my throat.

"Aeron Caloss," he says confidently. "I'm excited to represent my District, a lot like my District Partner, though Alia, I'm not sure about you bringing home the victory. I think I might take it!"

Oh my gosh, he's sexy _and_ confident. Talk about a weak in the knees. I can't help myself. I will make this boy mine by the time we get back into the Capitol. I touch his arm with a seductive smile on my face and then look out into the audience.

"District 4, I give your tributes for this year! Aeron Caloss and Alia Sennett!" I place the two tributes on either side of me, and they raise their hands in victory. I put my hand on Aeron's lower back, and he glances over at me and winks. My knees start to buckle as I stare at him with a smile.

This boy is bound to get me in trouble.

 **What? I'm alive?**

 **Guys, I'm so sorry for this late update. It's been a long and busy summer. I finished summer classes though, and I have an announcement.**

 **A couple of you know that Jenna (betttyy) and I have been dating for a long time. Well, this past week, I'm very happy to announce that we are now engaged! We will be getting married later this year!**

 **Now that my schedule is getting somewhat back to normal (or as normal as you can with wedding planning…) I will be updating more frequently. Honestly, these two tributes were a bit harder to write as well. I can't really tell you why.**

 **Sorry if this sucked. I haven't written in a long time…**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	10. District 5 Reapings

**Trigger Warning: Suicide talks in second POV.**

 **Describes the account of the death as well.**

 **Message me if you need the summary.**

* * *

 _There's a house at the end of the street_

 _No one bothers to go there, it never sleeps._

 _The walls are have eyes, the paintings breathe life_

 _Don't stay behind; the house is alive_

* * *

 **Alina Brightley, 18**

 **District 5 Female**

"Sparky, I swear on everything good and decent if you don't shut your damn mouth I'm going to shut it for you." says Cerina

"I'm not saying anything!" Sparky says in protest. "I'm just walking!"

"You're breathing really loud," I say agreeing with Cerina. "This isn't the place to be loud. You never know what's about to jump out."

The old Robinson house is a District icon. Kids everywhere from all around the District make their way here every Halloween night and camp out in the haunted walls. A few weirdos, my friends and I, like to do this often, however. Something about this house brings peace to someone like me. It's nice feeling like there are spirits around you. Death has been frequented in my life.

"Look, I can't help it. This place makes my heart beat really fast."

"This is only like the 90th time we've been here this year," says Cerina with an eye roll. "We promised to help Alina. Last time I swear we almost got the job done."

"You're right," says Sparky as we continue to walk down the long hallway of the old manor. The paintings on the walls are lined with portraits of the Robinson family. The legend has it that Mr. Robinson was a senator for the United States before the Capitol took over. They died in an ambush that the Capitol did that took out the entire United States government before they took over. The legend also says that once a year, on a particular night, the house becomes alive and the Robinsons are free to roam the house.

And I've some questions.

We enter the main foyer of the room, and I take a deep breath as we travel to the center of the room. Cerina takes off her backpack and unzips it. She pulls out a bowl and a knife and ushers us to sit around the objects.

"Why the hell did you pull out a knife?!" says Sparky

"We have to kill you for them to talk," says Cerina in a sarcastic tone and an eye roll. "I read that ghost are attracted to blood, so I'm going to prick my finger, and hope one comes."

"That's a little...witchy? Don't you think." I ask confused

"Not witchy. More like a hunter," she says dismissively.

I pull my dad's book out of the backpack and stare at the hardcover. In the book, Kara did something similar, but she had her friend die in an earlier chapter, so it was easy for her to get access to the blood.

My dad wrote horror novels. He was really popular in the Capitol, but he barely got any of the money from the books he sold. He died about a year ago, and we aren't sure what happened to him. He just disappeared for a couple of days, and we found his body behind the house a few days after. There was no injury signs or any bruises. He was just dead. Gone. No turning back.

There has to be more than this world than just what we see. Somewhere out there, no matter where it really is has to be something more. I refuse to believe that he is just not with us anymore. I feel him all around me. This is my chance to see what else is out there. And if I have to show up to the old Robinson house everyday until I die I will.

"Give me your hand," I say to Cerina.

She hands me her hand, and I prick her index finger with the knife. I take her hand and position it over the bowl and allow her blood to drip down into the bowl.

"Now we wait," I say.

I look around the room and begin to count the paintings on the room. This is the thirty-second night in a row that I will be in the Robinson manor. It's dark and quiet, and Sparky and Cerina's bickering doesn't make things any easier.

I get up and walk to another area of the room and sit down in the corner. I pull out a flashlight from the backpack and begin to read my father's book. He was the most interesting man that I had ever met. His journey and mind worked in such a unique way there was no kidding that he went out in such a unique way.

"Dad, I'm here," I whisper. "Please don't leave me hanging tonight. I miss you a lot."

The girls sit in the center of the room and smile and giggle at each other as they talk back and forth. They look over at me and give me that sympathetic awkward. They're good friends and always come with me on these adventures, but they don't understand. They'll never understand.

"I need to know…" I whisper. "I just need to know."

* * *

 _You have to understand_

 _I never knew the damage I could cause_

 _Somethings just happen_

 _And the world stops turning_

 _Long enough for you to feel the impact of the fall_

* * *

 **Kellar Fairbairn, 15**

 **District 5 Male**

"Ladies and gentlemen, the people versus Kellar Fairbairn, is now in session. All rise for the honorable Judge Lucke."

The entire courtroom stands as the judge files into the courtroom. He is sporting a long black robe that dangles past his feet as he storms into the courtroom. His face looks intense as he waves to the people to sit down, and then sits.

"Mr. Fairbairn," says the judge as he is eyeing his paperwork in front of him. "You've caused quite the scandal, haven't you? This is not something that a 15-year-old boy should be a part of."

"Judge Lucke," says the lawyer I was appointed because my family couldn't afford one. He seems like a nice guy, but he doesn't stand a chance against the mayor's lawyer. "I would like to point out that my client had no idea the intended use of the necklace at the time of his selling to the victim-"

"Yes, yes, Horace." says the judge with an eyeroll. "We are well aware of your client's plea. However, that is not what we are discussing. The bottom line is someone took their life, with the influence of your client. That's not something that can go unnoticed."

That's not how everything happened, but given the person, it happened to it only makes sense.

Elissa Young is, or I guess now was, the daughter of the mayor in District 5. She never longed for anything in her life, never had to worry about food or even clothing. She was unhappy though. We met one day at the edge of the fence in District 5. There isn't a lot of greenery in our District, and I like painting landscapes. It was the only place I could find a real natural environment to paint.

"My client obviously didn't know the intent of Ms. Young's intention as she bought the necklace. They were close-"

"Yes, your honor," says Mayor Young's lawyer. "They were close. All the signs were there of a person who wasn't happy, and Mr. Fairbairn did nothing to prevent it. Instead, he only enabled her choice, and made it almost impossible for my client to see another way out."

"If all the signs were there, why am I the only one being blamed?" I ask quietly, but the judge still looks at me. "Shouldn't her family be on trial too? I knew Elissa was depressed, but the whole District knew the girl was troubled. The truth is that you guys don't want to accept the fact that everyone in this room failed her. It was not just me. She happened to kill herself with a necklace I made, that in no way means that I supported her incredibly selfish choice."

"Is it selfish because she killed herself, or selfish because she blamed you, Mr. Fairbairn?"

"Taking a note out of context is not evidence is not blaming me. I told her to be who she wants to be, and she mentioned it in the note. It's not my fault that she wanted to be nonexistent. I sell the bracelets, necklaces, and clothes to help my family get by. I'm not responsible for how people use the product."

"Convenient answer when the product was found dangling from the ceiling with Elissa's body."

I wince at the thought of Elissa and my necklace. I honestly had no idea what she was going to do with it when she bought it. She loved the designs and bought from me consistently. The day she stopped by, everything was normal, and then I woke up the next day to the police at my door to ask me questions about Elissa.

She talked about doing it for years, and no one would listen to her. The girl was crying for help, and none of us did anything to help her.

But that doesn't fall on me alone. I won't allow it.

"I've heard enough." says the judge as he bangs his gavel. "I'll have order in my court. I'm ready for sentencing." He clears his throat as he begins to shuffle the paperwork on his desk around. "Kellar Fairbairn, I hereby find you guilty of assisted murder. You will be sentenced to the Hunger Games this year. When they ask for volunteers, you will volunteer, or face certain death here in the District. The case is closed."

My mother weeps behind me, and my father stands up and is yelling some things at the judge. I know it won't matter though, the sentencing has happened, and in District 5 they rarely get overturned.

"This wasn't about justice," I say as I look at the mayor who is hugging his lawyer. "This is a scapegoat. I'll make sure to let the country know the real story." I say as the bailiff comes and takes me to the transfer room inside of the courthouse.

* * *

 _Some call me crazy_

 _I think I'm fine_

 _I want what I want,_

 _Don't try me hoe; you'll die_

* * *

 **Desi Mundo, 20**

 **District 5 Escort**

"I'm telling you right now, Hector," I scream into the phone. "Let me find out you're with that hoe while I'm in District 5. Let me know! Cause when I do, I'm going to take you out to a nice dinner. I'm going to pay for everything. I'm going to get you loaded on alcohol, and then I'm going to pretend to drive home and drive into the mother freaking pier. I'll kill us both; I don't care! So let me find out, Hector! Cause I ain't playing this anymore!" I scream as I hang up the phone and throw it in the train cart. I rub my temples and throw my head back and let out a loud groan.

"I'm to grown for this shit!" I scream as the assistant the Capitol assigned to me runs into the train and looks at me with a nervous glance.

"Ms. Desi it's time to go on."

"Don't rush me, Cletus," I say as I get up from the seat I'm sitting in and stomp my way across the room. "It's been a long-ass day, and I don't have time for your attitude."

My first year of escorting is not going according to how I thought it would in my head. I was supposed to arrive on the train to a red carpet, and a glass of wine. These fools got me sideways though because I showed up to an empty platform with Cleetus barking orders at me left and right. This man's name is Cletus though, so should he really be giving me any advice?

I walk out of the room and see the whole District standing there. These people don't applaud at my presence, and that just gets on my nerves. They think I woke up looking this good so they can just stare at me? Admire my freaking persona.

"Hello, unfortunate people who have to be punished for their ancestor's actions," I say with an indifferent voice. I know my face is showing how annoyed I am, but at this point, I really don't think I'm capable of stopping it. I'm frustrated.

"My name is Desi, I'm new, obviously. It's going to be a great 10 minutes, and hopefully not many years after this. My goal is to move to District 1." I say with an eye-roll and a sigh into the microphone. The audience looks confused as I roll my eyes again and then walk to the girl's bowl and pull out a name.

"Let's see who the lucky girl is this year. Can I get some enthusiastic drum rolls please?" I ask as I look hopeful at the District's people that they can save this disaster of a reaping and make it television worthy.

Instead, I'm presented with a face full of bland and scared facial expressions. These people better are on my last nerve.

"Okay, since we want to be a pity party," I say as I open the envelope and pull out the girl's name. "Alina Brightley, you're going to the games girl. You know no one is going to volunteer for you in this pansy ass district."

A girl from the 18-year-old section comes out, and she's tall as hell. I raise my eyebrows at the sheer size of this girl. Her hair is put into two buns on either side of her head, and she is a mix of awkwardly trying to smile, but also hold back tears.

"Mama," I say to her as she gets up to the stage next to me. "What the hell is that hair due? Like don't get me wrong, you're pretty, and girl work your fierce height, but girl. Fix it." I say as I hold up my hand and gesture to her face up and down. I've no time for her introduction. I need to get the boy introduced.

I walk to the back of the stage again and dig my hand into the boy's bowl. Before I'm even able to grab an envelope I hear a voice from the audience scream, "I volunteer!"

I look up in complete shock and then stomp my foot and run back to the microphone. "Uh uh, boy that is so rude. How you going to rob me of my dramatic moment on television. You know how many volunteers we get from District 5?! No, we gonna do this the right way." I say running back to the bowl and pulling out a name. The boy is trying to make his way to the stage, but I take my shoe off and throw it at him. "Boy if you don't wait your little ass at the stairs," I say angrily as I flick open the envelope and clear my throat.

"The male tribute for this year is Reginald Wallace."

There are literal crickets throughout the audience, and I look over at the boy who is standing there looking awkward as he isn't sure what to do.

"I _said_ ," I say with an annoyed tone. "The male tribute for this year is Reginald Wallace."

"I volunteer?" says the boy confused again as he walks up to the stage next to me. This kid is on my list. Not a place you want to be.

"What's your name?" I ask annoyed as I stomp my foot.

"Kellar Fairbairn, I would just like to say-"

"Yeah, we ain't got time for that, Kellar. Nice going, cause you played yourself. Next please." I say as I look out into the audience. "District 5 your tributes this year are Alina Brightley, with the bad hair, and Kellar Fairbairn, with the annoying personality!"

 **Guys, I didn't make you wait a forever long time again!**

 **Sorry to Winter for changing a bit of Kellar, but I thought of a storyline that excited me.**

 **I hope you liked Desi. I liked writing her, and she was fun.**

 **I can't make you guys review, but I will say it makes it a lot easier for me to work up information if I know you're reading. So in honor of checking please send me a pm entitled "Check in-1" and tell me your tributes favorite color. (Also leave a review though cause it makes me happy.)**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	11. District 6 Reapings

**With this chapter, we are halfway through the reapings.**

 **Hallelujah amen.**

* * *

 _I'm not the quiet rebel who sits back and counts sheep_

 _I'm not the charming girl that sits in class and never sleeps_

 _I'm the girl that's a little bit of everything,_

 _A constant puzzle being pieced together._

 _I can be fearless, or I can be a coward_

 _I can be sweet, or I can be sour_

* * *

 **Talia Maglev, 17**

 **District 6 Female**

"We have to get this done today, or they've won," I say as I stand up on top of the desk in the middle of the classroom. "This is not something that we can allow to just slide under the radar. Juliette was suspended over a dress she wore to school. How can you enforce a dress code when most of us can't even afford to buy new clothes?!"

The kids around me cheer as faculty starts to pour into the cafeteria. I pick up my sign that speaks against the barbaric dress code at our school and begins to walk around the cafeteria. The teachers come in and try to take the signs out of our hands, but we quickly run to the center of the room and form a barricade around each other.

I jump back onto the table and look the teachers in the eyes as they scold us from against the wall. The Principal, Vinegar Tits as I call her, makes her way to the middle of the barricade and joins me on the table.

"We've never had an issue out of you, Talia," she says slowly and quietly in my ear. She grabs ahold of my arm, and she's squeezing a bit too tightly for my liking. "Don't make us have one today."

"If you don't get your hand off me, I'm going to shove this sign where the sun doesn't shine," I say fiercely at her. She lets go of my arm and then looks around at the students in an angry and frantic tone.

"All of you, go to class immediately! We will not stand for-"

"What we will not stand for," I yell at her, "Is students being persecuted for their social status and economics standing in this district!"

The students around me cheer, and Vinegar Tit's face begins to change into a neon shade of red. She huffs as she steps off the table, and the students begin to march around the cafeteria again.

The teacher's file out of the cafeteria, but I know that they haven't given up yet. That would have been too easy of a fight for us to win. We gather back in the center of the room and arrange ourselves sitting at the table again, and laugh as we have won the battle.

"Guys, this isn't over yet." says a girl that points to the giant cafeteria door. The teachers are lining up with the supplies for their lessons in their hands. I smile to myself, as this is a challenge that is entertaining to me as I watch them think they're going to make me learn when something as serious as this is taking place.

"What are those for?" I ask as if I'm confused as the teachers file in and claim their part of the cafeteria.

"Class is in session for those who don't show up; they will receive an F for their final test grade of the year."

I see a couple of kids begin to stir in their spots, and then they look at me apologetically as they start to stir.

"Excuse me," I say to the teacher staring at me with a smug look like they've already won. "If you fail all of us doesn't that come out of your pay check?" I ask confused as I stare at her. "I'm almost positive if all my aunt's kids flunked their final exam that she would be fired from her teaching spot at the middle school down the road. So what's it any different if it happens in high school? Would that not be worse? So flunk me. You'll get sacked."

With my decree, the teachers look defeated, and the kids that they almost pulled away from the group sit back down, and I take a sigh of relief.

I don't have an aunt that teaches at the elementary school, and I was completely talking out of my ass, but it seemed to work. They begin to sit down in the cafeteria in their teacher niche like groups and point at the kids and gossip.

I hop off the table and sit back down on the cafeteria seat right as Vinegar tits walks back into the room. She looks furious that the teachers are not teaching their students and handing out their exams. She walks up to me and sighs an exasperated sigh as she mean mugs me from across the room.

"Fine!" she screams from the door of the cafeteria. "Juliette can come back to school effective immediately. Go and take your exams now!" she growls as she attempts to slam the giant metal door.

The door bounces back, and her high heel gets caught in between the door and the frame, and she falls face first into the ground. The rest of the students laugh, but I go over to help her up. She takes my hand gratefully and then nods to me as she walks off back to her office.

"Good luck, Vinegar Tits!" I scream as she rounds the corner.

"Shove it up yours, Maglev." she says bitterly as she slams the office door.

* * *

 _I was living the good life_

 _Margarita on the beach_

 _But the thing about people is_

 _They're sneakier than they seem_

* * *

 **Cartier Ford, 16**

 **District 6 Male**

The gate opens for me, and I look down again at my body to make sure that I'm in regular clothes. It's the first time in 8 months that I don't see an orange jumpsuit around my body. It's been a trip, and I feel out of routine, but it's a good feeling.

"Try not to let any of the same disasters that got you in here get you here again. Okay, kid?"

"Yes sir, CO Bailey," I say with a nod and a bright smile as I walk through the prison gate.

It seemed this day would never come, and to see my mom and dad standing out next to the family car gets me so excited, I don't even realize I'm running until I slam into my mother for a hug.

"We've missed you." says mom with a smile as she squeezes me tightly.

"Cartier." says my dad as he gets into the car with a wave. He hasn't looked at me once since I've ended up in here. I expected it to be rough between us, but I'm hoping things can be better now that I'm out.

"Just give him some space, sweetie." says mom with an encouraging smile. "He'll come around."

I go to the back passenger side door and get into the small vehicle. Dad waits for me and mom to buckle up before he puts the car into drive and takes off down the long dirt road to get back to the main road.

"How's Kyva?" I ask as I sit back in the seat and take a deep breath smelling the familiar smells of the car. "She was writing me for a bit, but then she stopped. She's okay, right?"

"Yes," says dad as he flips the blinker to turn onto the highway. "I had her stop."

I peek my head up confused as I furrow my eyebrows. Mom looks out the window and avoids eye contact with me as the road passes by quicker as the car speeds up.

"Why would you do that?" I ask

"Because, no child of mine will be writing a convict in the federal prison, Cartier."

"Your child was a criminal, dad," I say confused. "I made a mistake-"

"No, you made _the_ mistake." says my father harshly as he begins getting faster on the road. Mom starts to grab onto the door handle in the front seat, as she looks scared at my father. He continues to weave in and out of traffic as he continues to spout insults at me. "You took the easy way out, son. Never was I ever more shamed than when you were sentenced to jail. My son, sentenced to prison." he says with disbelief still dripping in his voice.

"You kept my sister from me?" I ask still in shock. Not fully processing what my father is saying. "You prevented your daughter from talking to your son?! Do you know how depressing it is in prison, dad?" I begin to shout at him from the back seat. The car continues to speed quicker as he weaves in and out. He's going well over the speed limit at this point.

"I needed someone there! I had no one! Everything I did, I did because we didn't have the money to take care of ourselves, and your pride never let us ask for help! We were starving!"

"You were alive! You sold drugs!" he screams from the front seat. His eyes have a fire in them that I've never seen on my father. "Don't give me that bullshit that you were doing it for the family, Cartier! You were doing it because you were selfish! And you were an idiot! How dare you try to blame it on your mother and me!"

"How dare you leave your child in a hopeless place!" I scream.

"I didn't have a child in prison!" screams my father. "I don't have a son-"

The sound of shattering glass fills the car as we collide with the car that was in front of us. The airbags go off, and my mother and my father hit the hard white bag that expanded upon impact.

The few belongings that I had from prison fly out the front windshield as the car continues to spin out on the road. When we eventually stop, my mother is the first to come to as she throws her body around to make sure that I'm okay. Once she sees that I'm fine, she checks on my father. He is alive and shocked as he stares at the accident in front of us.

I peek over the back seat and see the minivan that we hit as we were arguing. There is a woman on her hands and knees as she clutches a boy that can't be more than 14-years-old to her chest.

"My baby!" she screams in agony as tears pour down her face. "My baby is dead!"

"How ironic," I whisper in the backseat as a single tear rolls down my cheek. "Me too."

* * *

 _The road I walk is a narrow one_

 _I guess you could call it the path less traveled_

 _Cause in a world where everyone is in black and white_

 _I chose to live in technicolor_

* * *

 **Evan Yanez, 18**

 **District Escort**

Okay, so I'm the youngest escort ever to get selected in Capitol history. That's okay. I can do this.

I run my fingers through my hair, and make sure that my blazer is on straight, and all the buttons are lined up. For my interview, my buttons were a hot mess, and I was so surprised they called me back. They told me something was charming about me and how I kept messing up.

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not, but I took it. I got the job.

"Alright Evan," I say to myself as I start to jog in place in front of the mirror. "Alright you sexy beast, get your ass out there and give them a show. Make them smile, make them weep, make them laugh, make them scream-"

"Mr. Yaenz?" ask Frankie as he appears in my door frame. "Not to take away from this, uh, colorful pre-show ritual, but it's time to get the reapings started."

"Yeah!" I say with a scoff as I flip my long bangs out of my face. "Of course. I knew that, why are you rushing, Frankie?"

I push past him as I walk out of the bathroom in the train cart, and exit towards the stage that has the entirety of District 6 standing before it. I take a large gulp as I walk up the stairs, and stand in front of the microphone as the audience quiets down and stares at me expectantly.

I stare at them for a second, and then I realize I'm on national television. Then I realize I've yet to say anything.

"Oh, uh, hi," I say as the mic leaves a loud screeching noise that fills the area surrounding us. Some 12-year-olds cover their ears as I quickly pick the microphone out of the mic stand and carry it with me to the back of the stage.

"Stupid. That was stupid, Evan." I say as a chuckle fills the audience. I turn around and realize that the microphone is in my hand, unusually close to my mouth. I grab an envelope from both bowls and quickly rush back to the front of the stage as I flick the first paper open not even knowing if it's a boy or a girl's name.

"Talia Maglev, you're selected to go into the Hunger Games this year. Talia Maglev!" I say into the microphone quickly.

A scared looking girl comes out of the 17-year-old section. She takes a deep breath and then puts on one of the most dazzling smiles I've ever seen in my life. When she gets up to the stage, she grabs the microphone out of my hand.

"Guess the school is going to be a quiet place without me, huh, Vinegar Tits?" she says with a respectful nod to the audience as she walks back to the stage.

I quickly flip the boy envelope open. I don't want to be on this stage any longer than I have to as I've embarrassed myself.

"Cartier Ford. Can I get a Cartier Ford to the front please?" I ask quickly as I look around the audience eagerly.

A boy from the 16-year-old section quietly makes his way through the crowd. He's at the very back, and as he moves, it seems he is taking forever. When he finally makes it to the front of the stage, I usher him up the stairs and ask if he has any words for his District before we take him on the train.

"I guess freedom is never actually free." he says softly.

"Yeah, okay," I say quickly ushering him along. "District 6! I give you your tributes! Talia Meglav and Cartier Ford!"

 **Yikes, I can't decide if I like this chapter.**

 **I've gotten a check- ins from the following tributes: Alina, Eliza, Hindi, Cartier, Adam, Pike, Hyssop, Carolina, Charon, Chen, and Alia. If you don't see your tributes name, then you haven't checked in with me, or if I forgot you let me know. I will let you know; I will** _ **NEVER**_ **have a Victor of a story be someone who isn't active. I've changed outcomes before, (IE, Jason was supposed to win AWE, but Katherine ended up winning instead. Lol can we imagine how different all this would be though?) Reviews also really help. So if you're not checking in/reviewing, or PM-ing me and explaining why you're so behind, you're making the bloodbath easy for me.**

 **You have until the weekend to get the check-in one finished and completed! :D**

 **Thanks for the good wishes for Jenna and I! We are excited as well.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	12. District 7 Reapings

_Here's to the girls who'd rather play in the mud_

 _Here's to the girls who's hair is never done_

 _This song is for you and all of your flaws_

 _They're beautiful and perfect and make you who you are_

 _So here's to you, here's to you_

* * *

 **Abigail Evolieon, 12**

 **District 7 Female**

"Wait that's what the plastic thing at the end of your shoe is called?!" I ask completely shocked and with a giggle. "How did you even hear of that?!" I ask my friend Katrina as we walk down the busy sidewalk of District 7. We are weaving in and out of the people that are hurrying along the path. The Lumberjacks are passing by us, and they smell of bad odor and pine needle. I wrinkle my nose and make a note to breathe out of my mouth as we continue.

"I think the better question is, who comes up with the word aglet, and who decides that a word like that will describe the most meaningless thing in the entire uni- watch where you're going Paul Bunion!" she screams at a lumberjack as his axe carelessly swings around his beltloop almost hitting her in the stomach. "Can't you see a little human is walking here?!" she snaps.

"Maybe you shouldn't be walking alone?" he asks as he turns around and glares at her.

"Sir," I say quickly. "I think what my friend was trying to say is that you're in a clear violation of the law with how you're carrying your ax. It would be a shame if someone got hurt over something entirely preventable. I don't want you to get in trouble, and I don't want her to get hurt, so please just cover the blade?" I say with a light smile as I stare at him.

He lets out a soft grin and nods as he pulls out the casing for his ax and places it inside. He smiles at me before he walks away and I spin around in a dramatic fashion attempting to look cool but end up completely falling on my face.

"Oh my gosh!" says Katrina. "Are you okay?"

"And Shawn wants me to be a model," I say with a giggle as I quickly get up and we continue our walking.

"How is it on the family front? Are they still putting a lot of pressure on you?"

"Would it be an Evolieon house without it? Honestly, sometimes I just wish I was born a boy and that way they wouldn't be such helicopter parents." I say with a bit of a sad expression. "I just wish I had a sister you know?"

"8 older brothers is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," says Katrina. "But you always have me, and at least this way if a boy breaks your heart, they can kick their butts, and you won't have to deal with it," she says with a cheesy smile.

I laugh as we come upon my street and turn the corner. I wave goodbye to Katrina and walk the three houses down until I reach my driveway. I walk up the paved road and knock on my door. Shawn, my youngest brother, answers the door first with a huge smile.

"Abi, I don't have time for you to fool around today. Everyone is at work, and Anthony is coming over for our anniversary dinner. So grab a sandwich, get your book bag, and head up to your room."

I look at him shocked. Never has he ever given me such a short hello. He usually sits down and has a full fledged conversation with me about my day and makes me talk about stupid things like boys and dating.

"Shawn?" I ask concerned. He sees the look on my face and comes over to the table and hangs his head low.

"Sorry, I just have a bad feeling about today," he says. "There's been an unshakeable feeling all week that something bad is going to happen. I thought at first Anthony might dump me-"

"As if," I say. "Shawn you're a model. He kisses the ground you walk on."

"But I'm never wrong about this stuff, Abi."

He's right. I trust Shawn's gut more than I trust anything in the world. He has an impeccable sense of awareness. I wish that I had an understanding of what is going on around me as well as him, but sadly, I'm just a 12-year-old girl with little life experience.

"I think I could be reaped tomorrow," he says sadly. "I think that I will go into the Hunger Games and then die in the bloodbath slowly and painfully," he says as tears well up in his eyes.

"No!" I say deciding what he needs right now quickly in my head. I choose to go with humor. "Shawn, you're too beautiful to die," I say. "You just sit here and have a great anniversary and try to kiss Anthony quietly, so I don't have to listen to all that nonsense," I say proudly.

"I love you, kid." says Shawn as he tousles my hair.

"Shawn!" I shout. "You do not work on my hair in the mornings only to have it ruined in the last little stretch of the day!" I say with a playful hit on his arm.

"You're a kid!' says Shawn.

"I love you too," I say smiling and getting up from the table and walking up the stairs to my bedroom.

* * *

 _I think it's time to face all my demons_

 _Drag them out from the closets in which they hide_

 _For they only have power as long as you let them_

 _And only you can be the one to cast them aside_

* * *

 **Kegn Yuehan, 16**

 **District 7 Male**

The breeze is strong today. It's one of those days where they warn you not to go up to the top of the trees and just to sit back and take care of the lower branches, but I needed some time by myself.

It's always something in a District dominated by macho men and women. There is always some argument as to who is stronger, or better at something. There's never an understanding or a moment of peace when their minds are continually dominated by competition.

I'm grateful that I can climb this high in the trees. Being able to look out over the treeline and seeing the world outside of District 7 is such a treat that I don't think anyone understands what they get to see when they're up here. I wonder if anyone has ever escaped, and often, I catch myself playing a game in my head where I scale in between the trees and catapult over the fence never to be seen again in this District that never cared about me in the first place.

I've always been different. From the way that I see things, to the way that I look even. I've never quite found a home in District 7.

Do you know how crappy that feels? To not have space where you can call your own. To feel so out of place all the time, that the one place that is supposed to make you feel comfortable can't?

I don't even look like anyone in my family. I'm skinny, and scrawny, which is why I'm able to climb up these trees so quickly. My brothers are monsters. I kid you not, when people see us walking down the street together they assume I'm the youngest brother.

"Are you crazy?!" I hear a female voice call up to me. I look down and see Ashley climbing up the tree. I can tell she's feeling very not confident as she makes her way up the tricky branches as the wind is blowing hard. I look back out at the clearing and smile as the sun is just starting to set after a long day's work.

"Woah," she says as she gets leveled with me and sits down on the branch in awe. "I never knew that it was so beautiful up here."

"Take a risk every once and awhile, and you'll find out," I say with a sly smirk. I wouldn't say that me and Ashley are friends. She's more of a person that I talk to only at work. She uses my light banter to pass the time as we scale the branches.

"Do you always come up here?" she asks. "Because if you do, this so doesn't count as work."

"Do you ever wonder what it's like outside of this crappy District?"

"No.," she says quickly, and rather honestly. "I like it here. Everyone is mostly friendly, given a few oddballs, and we couldn't have asked for a more pretty landscape if we tried-"

"I heard four has beaches," I say interrupting her. "The sand, the water, the sunsets on the beach."

The sun peaks below the treeline, and it's starting to get very dark on top of the tree. I begin to climb down, and Ashley looks at me confused and starts to follow me.

"Wait! What are you doing?!"

"It's dark," I say plainly as I continue to climb closer to the ground. My footing is a lot quicker than hers because I'm used to doing these climbs, and she's way farther up the tree than I am.

"So you just leave without saying anything?" she asks as she almost loses her footing on a branch. "I climbed 30 feet to come talk to you, and you can't be bothered to at least say bye?"

"Sorry," I say. "I'm not used to people talking to me."

"That's not true, and you know it," she says as my feet touch the ground, and she jumps the last 10 feet and lands next to me. She grabs ahold of my shoulders for support as she bounces upon impact. She stands before me, and she looks hurt as she quickly pulls her hands away after she realizes where they are. "You're not a scary guy, Kegn." she says. "I know you work hard to put on this 'I'm a quiet guy and read books all the time image,' but I know there is more, to you than that. There's more to everyone than that."

"What you see is what you get," I say beginning to feel uncomfortable knowing where this conversation is headed.

"Kegn, I like you," she says quickly and diverts her eye contact. "It's been a rough month for me, and working with you has been a really good part of it. You've taken my mind off of so much, and I've-"

"You don't like me," I say as I turn and walk away.

"Wait, what?" she says confused as she runs in front of me confused. "Yes, I do," she says

"No, you don't," I say as I walk around her and see the tears start welling up in her eyes. "I'm not worth it. Trust me; you're better off without me."

* * *

 _My heads messed up_

 _Isn't everyone's though?_

 _All of our thoughts make us who we are_

* * *

 **Austin Montag, 50**

 **District 7 Escort**

Alright. This is my shot at redemption. Forget the paparazzi, Forget the people that are expecting you to fail. Take everything that you've learned from your career and be the legend they know you are. You've worked too hard in your life to go out on a sour note. I refuse to be held to the standard that the media has put me at with my club breakdown.

So I shaved my head in a public bathroom. So I popped some unknown pills before doing so and almost got into a bar fight while at the club? Aren't we all entitled to some messiness in our lives?

But no, not when you're 50 it's apparently "irresponsible."

I walk onto the stage and smile at the audience. I know that these people have some more important things to worry about than the Capitol affairs, but some of them at least are bound to know my issues and probably point them out to their friends.

"I'd first like to open up with saying hello, District 7., I say proudly. "I'd also like to say if you don't have anything nice to say keep it to yourself and save your peasant talk until after my train back to paradise leaves."

They look at me in shock, but I just roll my eyes and begin to strut back to the table with the female names in the bowl. I dig my hand in the bowl and start to feel around for the envelopes, and settle one that gives me a good vibe. I open up the envelope and look at the name and smiles to myself as I watch the crowd squirm in fear that it could be them being selected at this very moment.

"Will Abigail Evolieon please make her way to the stage?" I ask as I scan the older child section of the audience. I gasp as I see the most stunning 12-year-old girl step out into the line. She is holding back tears, and I can tell she is falling into a panic when I hear a booming male voice take over the entire scene.

"No!" he screams as he runs for the little girl and throws her behind his back. "I volunteer!" he says. "I volunteer! Take me instead!"

"Shawn what are you doing?!" says the little girl as she starts hitting him in the arm. "Go back and stand in your spot!"

"No, Abi!" he screams "I won't!"

He won't let the little girl move, and eventually, Peacekeepers come over to sedate him. He fights them for a second and does a pretty bang up job I might add. I might have gotten the wrong sibling. When they finally stick him with the needle, he goes down instantly. The little girl is left staring at her now comatose brother with tears streaming down her face. She is picked up by one of the Peacekeepers when seven more young men from the general audience storm the reaping area.

"STOP!" they all scream together as they make their towards the little girl. "We won't let you take her!"

One by one they get sedatives shot into them, and Abigail is left staring at her entire, what I assume is her family, on the ground. They'll surely get in a lot of trouble for the mess that they've caused, but the audience back home will love it.

The child stands before me and frowns as I stick the microphone in her face to give her a chance to address the audience. She nods her head no and then walks back to the back of the stage bawling her eyes out.

"Alright, well, our next tribute let's try not to be so dramatic." I say as I walk over to the boy's bowl and pull a name out of it. I take the envelope and walk it over to the microphone where I open it up and read the name that I drew aloud.

"Kegn Yuehan."

Unlike our female tribute, the audience was literally in crickets for the male tribute. You'd think you'd at least hear a sob from a family member, but nothing breaks the silence as a smaller than the norm of District 7 young man steps out of the 16-year-old section.

"Do you have anything that you'd like to say, young man?" I ask as I hold the microphone up to him.

"Abigail I'm sorry you're being pushed into this." he says with genuine concern on his face. "No child should endure this."

"DIstrict 7!" I say quickly changing the subject as I was trained to do. "We have our tributes! Abigail Evolieon and Kegn Yuehan!"

 **So, I'm part of the group that is going to be impacted by Hurricane Harvey. I figured I should get this out while I could. I'll try to have District 8 out soon, but if we lose power, which we are highly expected to, I'm not sure how long we will lose it for.**

 **Sidenote: These quick updates are making me feel normal lol. I also wrote this chapter half asleep.**

 **Prayers and well wishes for Jenna and I are greatly appreciated.**

 **We are almost done with the reapings! Are you excited?! I'm SO excited!**

 **Check-in 2: What is your tributes ideal first date?**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	13. District 8 Reapings

_Even with my hair done, in a perfect bun_

 _And a smile from cheek to cheek_

 _I may look like an angel_

 _But even angels have secrets_

 _Not everything is as it seems_

* * *

 **Rhea Sanger, 18**

 **District 8 Female**

The rain is following in tons as I run through the dark alley. The newborn in my arms is silent, but I feel her hand clutching my shirt still, so I know she's doing okay. Curfew was enacted a few minutes ago, and if I'm caught out here by the Peacekeepers, I'm surely going to get in a monumental amount of trouble.

"It's okay, sweetheart," I say as I look at the baby's face. Her bright green eyes are squinting through the rain, and the chocolate brown curls are sitting on top of her head in a wild fashion. My heart melts as I stare at the beautiful face of this child, and then my heart stops altogether as I hear a trashcan get kicked over.

I let out a small yelp, and see a black cat climbing on top of the dumpster causing the lid to slam downwards.

"Great, cause that's exactly what I want to see as I'm running with a newborn baby in the middle of a rainstorm," I say with sarcasm as I look up at the sky and roll my eyes. "Let's get you to the Masons," I say as I clutch the baby to my chest again and run towards the end of the alley.

The Masons are a sweet little family that runs the bakery in our District. His father passed away earlier this year and left the business to his young son and his wife. They're newlyweds, and were glowing the night I showed up to deliver their baby. Sadly things didn't work out too well for them, and the child was stillborn. I've not been able to get them out of my head sense.

I make it out of the alley way and pause I see a group of Peacekeepers standing in front of the bakery with flashlights and umbrellas. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" I say as I look around me inside of the alley with a sad look on.

There is a large rock sitting right beside me, and I take it up in my hand. I wind my left arm back and hurl the rock across the street. It lands with a loud thud inside of the tailor's window, and I wince as I hear the glass break.

"Remind me to pay them back later," I say looking down at the baby girl.

The Peacekeepers heard the commotion though and run towards the sound of the window breaking. I use this chance to sneak around them, and make a beeline sprint to the baker's front door. I slam my fist on the door repeatedly until I see Hershel Mason coming down the long winding staircase that connects their house to the door. Upon seeing me, he opens the door, and I don't wait to be invited in.

I enter into the shop and let out a huge sigh as I can feel my breath catch up again. Megan Mason is just now coming down the staircase and sees the child that is in my hands.

"Rhea, what is going on?" she asks me confused.

"I have a proposition for you guys," I say. "This is something that goes against everything I've ever been taught, and can ruin my reputation, and even my family's business," I say urgently allowing them to understand the severity of the situation. "Does anyone know about, uh," I paused not sure how to word this.

"My dead child?" asks Megan with a certain sadness in her voice. I nod at her sympathetically. There really is no gentle way to distribute this. "No, we were very quiet, and haven't left the house for a few days. We've just been in mourning." I notice Megan's bright green eyes, and Hershel's curly brown hair as she talks, and my heart begins to swell. No one would know this child doesn't actually belong to them.

"There is a 16-year-old that I just delivered this child from." I say holding up the unnamed baby to the couple who's eyes look longingly at her. "She didn't want the baby and asked me to get rid of it. We are supposed to follow the instructions of what our customers ask, but I can't bring myself to do that." I say. "This child, as far as her mother knows, is dead. And I know that a baby from a stranger is not able to compare to the one you lost. Would you two be interested in taking this child-"

"Yes." says Hershel and Megan almost immediately. She practically runs to me as she takes the child in her arms, and tears start to well up in her eyes as she starts to rock the baby to sleep. Hershel comes over to me and smiles as he sticks his hand out.

"You've no idea what you've done for our family." he says with a grateful smile on his face.

"What are you going to name her?" I ask. This is one of my favorite parts of the delivering process, and seeing the identity, this child will take after they're brought into existence.

"Dawn," says Megan as she turns back to me. "Because we were in what seemed like neverending darkness after our little boy died, but she's the light that is bringing our lives meaning again," she says as she kisses the baby's head. "Thank you, Rhea. Your kindness won't be forgotten."

"Don't think of it that way," I say as I stand up and walk towards the exit of the door. "Just treat the child right. And please remember, no one can know."

"Of course." they say together as I enter into the dark and worm my way around the Peacekeepers now interviewing the tailor.

* * *

 _I do it for the things that I see worth it_

 _Do whatever it takes or you don't actually want it_

 _Don't be afraid to bite the hand that feeds you_

 _Often times they'll hold that against you_

* * *

 **Jute Farman, 15**

 **District 8 Male**

"Mom did you get that blue fabric I asked for?" I scream from my sewing room on the second floor of the house. I've been working on my sister's birthday gift for the past three weeks, and I need to put the last finishing touches on the trim.

It sucks that her birthday is the same day as the reapings, but I wasn't in charge of birthing her, so a reaping dress she will get. Not that she won't wear it on any other day. It's a beautiful gown. One of my favorites if I do say so myself.

"Yes, honey," she calls back to me from her bedroom. "It's on the kitchen counter."

I leave my sewing room; a bit discouraged that I have to walk all the way down the stairs, and then grab the blue fabric off the counter. I look down at the fabric in utter disgust because this is two shades lighter than I had anticipated, and now I don't even know if I can use this fabric my mom bought.

"Mom! I said get perry winkle; this is like a weird navy-"

"Hey Jute," I freeze and turn around to see Holly Sentor, my sister's oldest friend. Also my crush for the past three years.

"Oh, uh," I say awkwardly as I avoid eye contact with her. "Hey Holly, you how are?" She laughs as I misspoke, and then I am tempted to run head first into the wall repeatedly without a helmet.

"Good is I.," she says back jokingly. "You working hard on a new design?"

"Y-yeah," I say trying to get control of my tongue. I've never hated myself more than in this moment. "It's for Paige. She's turning 21 tomorrow, and I figured I should give her something nice to wear."

"You always do," says Holly with a smile. "I turn 20 in a few months. Remember me, Jute," she says with a wink as my sister comes storming down the stairs in a dress that I made for her a few years ago.

"Hey Jute!" she says smiling. "We are going to a party. Tell mom not to wait up, cause I probably won't be back until late."

"Will do," I say as I begin to walk up the stairs.

"Also, this came for you in the mail this morning," says Paige holding up an envelope with the Capitol seal on it. My heart stops beating for a total of three seconds as I run at my sister full throttle and grab the letter out of her hands. She laughs as she steps back watches in awe as I rip open the letter.

"Dear Mr. Farman," I read aloud "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Capitol's elite fashion program for the next coming year! As you know this is very prestigious program and we only let 1 member of each District take part in this elite competition. Good luck contestant, and please give it your all!"

I begin to jump up and down screaming as Paige and Holly jump with me. "I used steam to check earlier, but you were in your whole "do not disturb" mode, so I wanted to give you some space! But this is like the best birthday gift ever for me! I get to see my little brother impact the whole country!"

Holly gives me a big hug, and for a second everything in the world feels exactly as it should. Then the sudden realization that I'm going to have to come up with new designs every week dawns on me, and my mind is completely uninspired!

"Oh the hell no!" I scream as I run back up to the top of the stairs and into my design room. My whole family has gathered around the desk, and Holly stands at the door looking completely enamored as I delve into my designs. "Paige, you've the body that most people in the Capitol have, or cosmetically alter themselves to have. Let me get your measurements before I begin sketching ideas and other stuff for the competition. Mom, I need you to go buy me these colors of fabric." I quickly scribble down a few colors and am sure to add Perrywinkle so I can finish my sister's dress. "Dad, uh, just sit there, okay?"

"That's what I normally do," he says with a smile as he watches me get to work on measuring Paige. I smile at him and continue to measure as Holly picks up Paige's dress and spins around with it. "This is beautiful, Jute!"

"Oh my gosh?! Is that mine?! Please tell me that's mine!" says Paige as she claps her hand. "I love the simple looks of the blue with the white! Is that navy?"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" I say bummed out she didn't like the perry winkle sketch next to it but shrug. "I guess sometimes you just got to give people what they want. Happy Birthday, Paige."

She squeals as she runs out of the room before I finish measuring her. "Come on, Holly! Let's try it on!"

* * *

 _Don't be afraid to take chances_

 _Don't be scared to ask for advice_

 _Don't be scared to be yourself_

 _Just remember that it comes at a price_

* * *

 **Esteem Higherland, 22**

 **District 8 Escort**

"You mean to tell me that Katherine Farrow is running to District 13?" I ask the citizen who sits in my room. She nods her head slowly, and throws me a scared look.

"Please don't get me in trouble. I haven't known who to tell," she adds on quickly

"You're fine, Darling," I say quickly dismissing her with my hand. "I'll take this information and pass it to the appropriate parties."

She gets up and leaves my room, and I quickly bring out my phone and dial the ten digit number. The phone begins to ring and the male voice that I was looking for answers.

"What's up, Esteem?" Kieran says into the phone as I jump up and down trying to get past the silly polite conversation you're supposed to have.

"I'm about to go reap two kids. I don't have a lot of time. How close are you to District 13?"

"We are almost there," says Kieran slowly. "Why?"

"They know she's there. Well at least, some random in District 8 did. You need to hide her. I'll do my best to throw the scent off, but I can only do so much."

"You're appreciated, Esteem," says Kieran. "I'll let Katherine know as soon as I see her."

We hang up the phone right as my assistant walks in and tells me it's time to get the reapings started. I clear my throat and walk out of the room and down the hallway. We make three rights and I see a man standing in the long hallway that opens the door to the exit of the Justice building here in District 8. The door leads directly to the stage and I'm standing in front of thousands of people anxiously seeing if this is going to be their last day freedom

"Hello District 8!" I say happily in their faces even though I know that this is not a happy day for them. "My name is Esteem Higherland and I'm excited to be here and to see you guys. Let's make sure that this is going to run smoothly, okay?"

The crowd just stares at me, but I'm not giving them any room to talk or respond back, mostly because I don't expect them to respond.

"Alright, well let's get started with the females," I say as I turn around and walk back to the girl's bowl and pull an envelope out. I walk over to the microphone with the envelope in hand and unseal the envelope. "Can I get Rhea Sanger to the front, please? Darling, please make your way up."

A fierce girl from the 18-year-old girl section makes her way up to the stage. She looks stoic and strong as she walks with perfect posture to the front of the stage. A couple of women in the back of the audience are in tears as she makes it up the steps. She gets to me on the stage and shakes my hand very proper.

"Do you have anything you'd like to say to the District?"

"My name is Rhea, and I will do my best." she says as she nods to me and walks to the back of the stage.

I turn and follow her making my way to the boy's bowl. I grab the very top envelope and then walk back to the stage. I open up the envelope and smile as I flick open the envelope and announce the name.

"Jute Farman?"

"No!" screams a boy in the fifteen-year-old section. "This isn't what was supposed to happen." He falls to his knees, and the Peacekeepers walk him to the front of the stage and helps the boy up the stage. His knees are shaking as I hold the microphone to him. He just shakes his head and doesn't respond as he sits on the ground looking completely defeated.

"District 8, I give you your tributes for this year's Hunger Games! Jute Farman and Rhea Sanger!"

 **Jenna and I are completely safe. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers. I'm with power again so I thought I would get this out.**

 **Let me know what you think of these two.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	14. District 9 Reapings

**Trigger warning: Zea is depressed, and experiences not great thoughts.**

 **Maybe a minor PG-13 rating for a sex reference in the second POV of this chapter?**

 **Like I said I'll never write a sex scene, some of you are like .3 years old.**

 **That just seemed like the natural thing for those two characters though.**

 **Anyways, continue.**

* * *

 _Can't you see I need you by the way I push you away?_

 _Can't you see these scars I use as defenses are mere pretenses of a cry for help?_

 _I feel like I'm out here screaming at the top of my lungs for someone to help me_

 _Trying to make it known that I want to have company_

 _But you only see the scars that I've weaponized against myself_

 _But when I look in the mirror, and see the scars_

 _I wonder how the world created such a natural disaster_

* * *

 **Zea Demeters, 16**

 **District 9 Female**

Smoke lines the clouds as I watch the flames lick across the wooden logs thrown into the pit. The warm sensation hits my face as I sit as close as possible to the fire without physically allowing the flame to touch my skin.

Every year it's the same ordeal. The school comes together the night before the school year starts and they have a bonfire to commemorate the summer time that they had. It's the _stupidest_ thing I've ever seen in my life. Summer is not what it used to be.

This whole tradition started from one girl finding a hidden room in her grandmother's house with a bunch of movies from the dark ages. Summer vacation became something everyone in the District sought after but never could achieve. How can you be allowed to have fun in a place like District 9?

Shawn Meyer scoots closer to me, and smiles and I flinch as he reaches out to shake my hand. I nod quickly and get up and walk away before I'm forced into a conversation that I don't want to be in. I stop when I get to the edge of the greenery we are having our illegal charade, but considering literally everyone's kids in town are here it's legal. The grass begins to get longer and the greenery stretches high above what a typical lawn or even a meadow should be.

"You're not ten anymore, Zea," I whisper as the chills run down my spine, and my eyes well up with tears. "They can't hurt you again," I say as I run my hand down my arm and begin to pop the rubber band at the end of my wrist.

When I heard about this study initially, I was skeptical of its results. I know it was generally used for self-harmers, which I'm not, but it snaps me back into reality when I feel confused or have flashbacks. Which is more often than not when the most tragic event you can remember happened in a wheat field, and you live in District 9.

Seeing those scenes everywhere is like reliving that moment day after day. Everywhere I turn is a constant reminder of what happened. And as much as I try and move past it, it never seems to be enough.

"Are you alright?" I hear a deep voice ask me. I jump up and turn quickly prepared to fight when I see Shawn Meyer standing about 10 feet away from me. He looks concerned, but I don't trust him when we are alone in this atmosphere like this. "I saw you wander off, and you looked upset. I didn't do anything right?"

"You followed me into the field you creep! What do you think is going to happen?! Do you think that you're going to seduce me? Take me in the tall grass and have your way with me?! Leave me alone. Go!" I scream

"No, wait, it isn't like that. I was just checking on-"

"Go!" I scream more forcefully. I do a quick scan of my surroundings and see a stone on the ground and pick it up. With all of my strength, I hurl it at the boy, but it goes a little too far to the left, and he is left staring at me in awe.

"I'm sorry," he says quickly. "I didn't realize I upset you so badly."

"You should be!" I say as he turns and walks away back to the area of kids that are surrounding the bonfire. I see them all laughing and dancing with one another. I sink down to the ground and curl my knees into my chest as I watch them talk and flirt.

"Damn it, Zea," I say as I put my head on my knees. "You always do this."

I can never accept anything the way that it's intended. I always have to put myself in a situation of self-destruction and push people away who are trying to be there. Shawn did nothing wrong, yet I hate him. I hate him with an intense passion.

I hate all men with an intense passion.

I sit down on the ground and wait for the fire to dim out eventually. One by one the kids in my class start to go away and walk back to their homes in District 9. One by one I watch them walk with their normal lives.

I stay seated not to disturb the people who can accept normalcy, and not only accept it, but also embrace it.

I hate that my presence is off putting. But there is only so much you can do with the way you're wired. You can only hope that someday, somehow, you'll wake up, and that your head won't be clouded with bad judgment and false assumptions. The storm clouds that you've lived in for years will disappear, and the sun will finally bring the rainbow you've been searching for.

One day that darkness will fade away, and you hope that when it does, you won't have to fear the shadows that creep inside of it. They'll all be exposed, and their identities made known by the blazing sun.

* * *

 _Run run run_

 _Is not a motto, but a way of life_

 _I dash on the streets_

 _Earn that coin that I live by_

* * *

 **Charon Ortega, 18**

 **District 9 Male**

"On your mark, get set, GO!" screams the race attendant.

We spring from the start, and each of the eight competitors is sprinting towards the finish line on the opposite end of the track. Braiden stands to my left and is my only real competition as we move forward with this race. As I round the curve, it's only me and him competing for the first and second place.

"I'm going to get you this time, Ortega!" he screams jokingly as he pulls ahead of me around the bend. It's a straight shot to the finish line now, and the winner of this race gets 200 dollars.

I allow him to think that he has the win, and then at the very last second intensify my running so that I pass him at the last possible second. He turns to me in shock as I run through the ribbon and fall to the ground on my back laughing and trying to catch my breath.

"You ass!" he screams as he lays next to me and kisses me on the cheek. "I thought I had you that time."

"Naw," I say jokingly. "You'll never get me," I say. "It's not like you're not getting the money anyways," I say as the race officiate comes over to me and hands me the 200 dollars. That's rent for the next three months, so I'm excited that Braiden and I don't have to worry about that.

The crowds clear, and the betters all come up and congratulate me if they bet on me, and cursed me if they lost. I just smile and continue walking hand in hand with Braiden as we go to our apartment on the edge of the city limits.

"Carlin is getting faster," says Braiden as we round up the steps to our apartment that we share. "We need to watch his training if we expect to keep beating him- oh," he says as he pauses as he reaches the top step. "Hi, Dementa."

"Mom?" I say confused as I stand on the top step. "It's not Saturday."

"This is where he lives, Dementa?" says a voice in utter disgust. "I would think the boy would have some class if he were your child."

"Mack," scolds my mother as she glances over to Braiden and me, and then gives him a confused look. "They're right there."

"Well I didn't know that when I said what I said," says Mack with an eye roll. He and my mother look extremely out of place on this side of the town. Mack is from money, and I mean he comes from _money_. He has more money than some of the people in the Capitol. My mother wears all the nicest clothes and lives in an enormous fancy house. "Hello, son."

"I'm not your son," I say quickly.

"Well I'm your father," he says quickly in a defensive tone. "Even if you chose to parade around in this," he glances over at Braiden, "Questionable behavior."

"No," I say. "You're a vile bastard that married my mother. I don't have a dad. The man that fathered me is some lowlife who frequented a whore house. You're just the security deposit my mother needed to feel safe."

"Charon!" says my mother in shock. "Both of you stop it right now."

"No, you showed up on my doorstep," I say. "You stop. Take the trash out with you." I say as I push past Mack and unlock the door, pulling Braiden in behind me. I close the door before my mother has a chance to come in and lock it again. I hear them begin to bicker outside the porch, but their voices don't get any quieter. Meaning that they're standing outside.

"Charon…" says Braiden.

"Don't," I say as I pull off the running jersey I'm wearing and throw it on the floor in the living room. I walk into our bedroom and go straight to the bathroom to turn the shower on.

"I just want you to be happy." he says sadly.

"I am happy," I say as I turn to him and kiss him on the forehead. "I know you sometimes think that this time with you is just to spite them. But you're the only thing that's ever made me feel this way. I can't explain it, but you're my light in the dark, Braiden." I say as he wraps me into a tight bearhug.

"But you stink," I say teasing him as I push away. "So I'm going to get in the shower-"

"And I can join you?" he asks me with a sly smile.

"My mother is right outside the front door…" I say with an awkward laugh.

"Right. Mood kill. Forgot about that." he says as he walks out of the room laughing hysterically. "Hurry up! I want to smell nice."

"I'm a lucky guy," I mutter to myself as I close the bathroom door behind me and get in the shower.

* * *

 _When does the world stop turning?_

 _Cause I'm tired of it always revolving around you._

 _My heart can't take this back and forth_

 _You always pick and choose_

* * *

 **Eponine Cloud, 26**

 **District Escort**

"Fine!" I scream into the phone with tears rolling down my face. "Lyle I'm warning you though, if you leave that apartment and aren't there when I come back, you can just give me back your key! I can't do this anymore." I say as I throw the phone across the room. Waverly awkwardly walks into the room. He stands against the wall and frowns as he sees me.

"Ms. Eponine?" he asks me slowly.

"I just don't want to do this anymore!" I scream as I run to the sofa and throw myself onto it. "Waverly I refuse to go on. You go right now!"

"I, uh, what?" he asks me confused.

"GO!" I scream as he scatters from the room and I am left in my dressing room bawling my mascara off my face.

* * *

 _How did I do this_

 _End up here_

 _I swore that I'd never do this_

 _Yet here I am_

* * *

 **Waverly Benna, 17**

 **New District Escort**

"Uh, hi," I say into the microphone. "So, my name is Waverly. I'm new to this. I'm kind of excited to be sharing my first day with you District 9!"

This is not what I signed up for when I agreed to be an assistant to the District Escort. I was told I would make good money, and not have to do anything other than keeping them, the escorts, on track. I better get her salary too.

"So let's get started shall we!" I say as I walk back to the girl's bowl and roll my eyes as I face away from the camera. I dig my hand deep into the bowl I pull out a name and walk back to the microphone and smile as I look into the audience.

"The female tribute going into the games is.. Zea Demeters!"

A girl with long black hair, mostly in her face, is shoved to the front by the crowd. She is standing awkwardly and puts her arms across her chest in a crossed position. She barely takes any steps and is eventually approached by a Peacekeeper. When he tries to talk to her, she runs up to the stage in a panicked state.

"Hi, Zea," I say with a smile. "Anything you'd like to-"

"Don't talk to me," she says as she walks to the back and actively avoids the male Peacekeepers on either side.

"Okay, or not," I say as I walk to the boy's bowl and pull out a name. I walk back to the microphone as I open the seal and read out the name nice and loud.

"Charon Ortega?" I say.

Two people, one male, and one female, both scream from the back where there are the overaged people. Similar to the girl, Charon is pushed to the front by his peers, and he is left standing in the front with a dumbfounded look on his face.

He shakes his head, and I can tell he's taking deep breaths as he walks up the steps of the stage and stands next to me.

"Hi, Charon!" I say with a smile. "Is there anything you'd like to say to the audience?"

"Braiden, I love you. Mom, I love you. You deserve more. Mack, suck a dick...just not Braiden's." he says as he walks to the back next to Zea who looks at him and recoils, but not as hard as when she was standing next to the security guard.

"Well, District 9!" I say. "Here are you tributes for this year! Charon Ortega and Zea Demeters!"

 **Hey, it's been a hot second, huh? Well, I was finally able to update. Praises am I right?**

 **I have an announcement that I hope will get a positive response.**

 **I have decided that I'm not leaving the site after all. I have given it a lot of thought, and before I decided that this would be my last story, I had already had a new series in the works. I'm super excited for what I have planned, and I think I owe it to myself to see it through since I was so happy about it.**

 **I didn't do this for attention. This has come from a lot of encouragement from Jenna and Chayse (fifidear)**

 **Thank you, friends, for always having my back. Also, shout out to Red (Readers Castellan) for being the Supreme Ruler of the FanFiction realm. All hail.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	15. District 10 Reapings

_Everyone has their secrets_

 _I have a few myself_

 _I could tell you, but I'll have to kill you_

 _Lies make the world go round_

* * *

 **Kira Sarello, 14**

 **District 10 Female**

"Where is my money, Kira?" asks Cordero for a second time as he slams his fist on the table. "I'm getting tired of having to wait for you to pay up what you owe me. If you don't have the funds, you don't bet the money. It's a simple concept."

"It's here," I say as I guiltily hand over the money I stole from my mother's purse. He snatches it from my hand and eagerly counts it to make sure that it is all there, and when he feels that it suffices, he smiles and sticks out his hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Kira," he says. "Same day next month," he says as he walks off towards the stables to tend to the horses that are kept there.

I take a deep breath to settle the feeling in my stomach that is creeping up as I watch him walk away with my parent's money. If my parents were to find out what just happened, not only would Cordero lose his job, but it would also expose The Ring, opening my life up to a world of trouble.

"You're in too deep, Kira," I say quietly as I turn to walk back towards my house.

My grandpa was a smart man. He was the first person to open up a place to breed horses in District 10 when our country first originated. He was a very bright man and knew that in a District like ten where cattle was so prominent upon the land already, that raising certain animals would be big money.

My family has always been well off, and it's always kind of bothered me. Not that we have money. I'm grateful for that, but there are so many people here in the District that don't and so many things that they have to do just to stay alive.

I'm able to take one hundred dollars out of mom's wallet, and she wouldn't even notice.

My boots continue to kick up the dirt as I walk towards the main building of my parent's ranch. I walk into the building and see Auberon sitting in his bunk that he stays in during the weeks that he is on call. He sits up upon seeing me and smiles.

"Did you make the drop?" he asks me as I look around the dirty cabin. It has a nasty stench of horse manure mixed with a bad odor from the men that stay here. Auberon goes to the end of his bed and digs in his duffle bag and pulls out money and looks at me. "Did you make the drop?" he asks me again.

"Yes," I whisper.

"Good," he says. "Here is the money to pay your parents back," he says with a smile handing it to me.

"You know if you would just use the money you earn here to help pay your family, you wouldn't be as poor." I say. "I wouldn't have to take out tesserae and-"

"No one is forcing you to take out tesserae, Kira." says Auberon with an eyeroll. "Your little problem is what is keeping you in this mess. You're the best kind of addict. It doesn't hurt you. Doesn't immediately affect you, so you don't see the harm in it. But you're the one that does it so you can pay off your gambling debts."

"You're right," I say. "I hate you, though."

"Hate me all you want. Because of you, my daughter doesn't have to take out any tesserae."

And because of you, my name is entered into the reapings 19 times rather than just three.

I turn around and walk out of the gross building. The smell lingers in my nose as I walk out towards the gate entrance and see mom and dad riding on their horses talking to each other. When they see me walking towards them, they begin to make their way towards me. The sound of their horse's trollop towards me brings sadness to my heart as I remember what I just did. They look so excited to see me.

"Hey baby," says dad with a smile. "Your mother and I were just going to get something to eat. Want to join us?"

"Sure," I say as walk over to mom's horse and climb on the back with her. She makes sure that I'm in position before she begins to have the horse gallop to the pace she sets for it. Her purse dangles across her chest, as the little bag bounces off her hips. Dad is well ahead of us, and I reach into my back pocket and pull out the money that I just got from Auberon.

I gently unzip mom's purse and slide the money into it. I quickly zip it up which causes mom to stop the horse and looks at me confused.

"What are you doing, goober?" she asks me

"Your purse was unzipped," I say with a smile. "Just thought I'd help you out, momma."

"You're very kind," she says as she makes the horse pick up speed to catch up with my dad.

* * *

 _Because the gambling life is the life for me_

 _I traveled the earth and searched the seas_

 _Never once finding good company_

 _The gambling life is the one for me_

* * *

 **Pike Macentire, 18**

 **District 10 Male**

"Lucky if you don't stop pulling this leash, so help me," I say to the dog that is being very stubborn in her training. She's been very hard to break. An incredible good spirit. Even as she's sat in the crate hungry and ready to gnaw her foot off, she's still not had a glimmer of any animalistic instincts.

I can't help but admire the little guy. She was strong enough not to let her situation change her. She's been very lighthearted and good since the pup stages of her life. She's just a major downgrade since Chloe died in her last fight at the end of Winter.

She was a good dog. I've missed her.

I cross the giant field that Lucky and I have been walking and stop at a tree that holds a lot of shade. A lot of the District 10 kids come here to fool around with each other. The tree trunk hollows out, and some party boys made an underground lair of some sorts. People around town call it the Wailing Oak. I'm sure that you can imagine why.

I look around the vast field and wonder how many people pass through this on any given day. It's the only road that leads out of town, and many people use it to get to and from the city. They make an honest living there and aren't trapped in this life that I've been made for.

"Hey, uh, dude?" ask a young man as he walks eagerly towards the tree with a female companion. She looks timid and shy as she sees me, and looks down at the floor and lets out a big smirk. Blush erupts on her cheeks as she hides behind her male friend. "Is there any way we can, uh,"

"Say no more," I say as I get up and grab the dog leash. "Lucky, come on."

"Thanks, man." says the guy appreciatively as he and the girl walk to the opposite side of the tree and go through the trunk into the unsupervised haven.

I can't help but feel a little twinge of jealously as I see them disappear. Not because they're physically hooking up. I've been there and done that; it's not something that I need to keep my life going.

I'm jealous because of the emotional security that they have with each other to go out and need to be with each other in the heat of the day. The security in each other that even though I've caught them walking into the tree with shameful looks on their faces, that they're still going down to be with each other.

I've always wanted that companionship. Something that drives you forward. A partner in crime if you would.

My line of work, however, is not known for its many trustworthy people. I've seen people that know each other for years suddenly turn on each other and stab the other in the back. It's a wild mess when one of these betrayals happen because everyone knows everyone down at The Ring.

It's safe to say that I just haven't been inspired to throw my cards in with someone. Not that I haven't been tempted to. But I'm not my father. I have a less open mindset and surely wouldn't take a hooker in to help me raise a baby.

Lucky and I continue to walk through the field back towards the house that I grew up in with my mom and dad. Mom died when I was young by execution for stealing, but she was the reason we were able to afford such a lovely house. She put in a lot of work to get the money for this thing.

She died trying to steal some of it back from the wealthy men she paid for it, but you know, no one is perfect.

I get to the front door and turn the knob. It's unlocked, and I walk straight into it. Dad is busy watching television on last year's Hunger Games and is still kicking himself for betting on Ember.

"Second place." I hear him mutter as I walk by the couch and towards the backyard door to put Lucky up. "Second place. That bitch earned second place."

I walk to the crate and see Lucky's whole demeanor turn sad as I walk her back to the crate. I open up the door, and she looks at me with her big dough eyes and begins to walk back into the door slowly. I'm about to close the door and leave her out there when I decide that I just can't do it with this dog.

"I guess you're mine now, or something," I say as I reopen the cage and allow her to run out joyfully. I sit down and let her jump into my lap, and she begins to lick my face. I go inside and get some dog food, and pour it into the bowl. She is running around the kitchen and jumping up and down excitedly as I set the food on the ground.

"Going soft on me, eh?" dad asks

"She wouldn't be worth training," I say back to dad as he glances over at the dog. "She is too pure at heart. I'm going to keep her."

"Don't let her pee on the carpet." he says as he turns back to the television and begins to mumble about Ember again.

* * *

 _When the dust settles, the truth remains_

 _It makes it really hard to have a little faith_

 _The truth of the matter is we are all just broken_

 _The truth of the matter is, we are all just tokens._

* * *

 **Ricardo Delmo, 29**

 **District Escort**

I've been in this business too long to have any hope. Even when I was younger and had the better Districts, I still learned that having hope that one of your kids would come back is hard. I have been behind people that have wanted to end the Hunger Games for years, and that's why when Katherine Farrow wanted to finish them in her first few months of being President, I was a strong advocator of the idea.

I lost my District 4 because of it.

My phone buzzes and I look down at it and smile.

"Hello Katherine," I say with a smile. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Alexandra has heard that I was traveling to District 13, and wants to know if I've made it. I need you to start a rumor, Ricardo. I know you're good at it."

"Sweetie, give me 5 minutes, my social media platform, and a gossip whore. We will be in business shortly."

"Thank you, Ricardo. You're my one," says Katherine as she clicks off the phone.

I open up my anonymous information leaking account and begin to type the words I know will throw them off their scent.

 _Word has it that Katherine Farrow is finding shelter in District 6. Yikes, Lexie looks like you're struggling._

I've so many firewalls in the website that even the best super computer that they could pull out and try to hack into it couldn't. I know because I watched them try, The trick to staying relevant is you need to give more truthful information than not accurate information. Otherwise, your credit is unvalidated, and you're hopeless.

"It's time." says Perrywinkel as she shows up at my door in a fashion that lets me know she ran the whole way.

"Honestly, Perry, class please," I say as I roll my eyes and push past her sweaty body as she attempts to catch her breath.

I walk out of the Justice Building and onto the stage as District 10 lightly applauses me coming to take away two of their very own children. I've never required applause, but I also think that's the reason they give it to me.

I stand in front of them and smile as I wave and look around. "Let's say we just get this over with?" I say with a sympathetic tone. "I know this won't be easy, but let's try and stay positive throughout this."

One of the Peacekeepers rolls the female selection bowl over to my right side as I smile at whoever is behind the mask and reach my hand into the bowl. I pull out an envelope and flick open the seal. I pull the card out, and read the name bright and clearly to the audience.

"Kira Sarello." I read out.

A small 14-year-old girl makes her way up to the stage and gives me a feeble attempt at a smile. She begins to have her eyes well up, and I don't give her a chance to talk into the microphone because I don't want her to get labeled weak by the Capitol. This girl has a long way to go if she wants sponsors, but I can't let her make it harder on herself.

"Let's move on to the boys," I say with a smile as they roll the other bowl to me. Kira is led to the back of the stage, and she is talking profusely with someone trying to calm herself down.

"The male for this year is...Pike Macentire!" I say.

An 18-year-old boy walks up to the stage, and I decide not to give him a chance to say anything in the microphone either until he grabs it out of my hands.

"Dad, please take care of Lucky. She's a pure thing, and I really have grown to care for her."

"I will, son." we hear yelled faintly from somewhere in the audience. He nods his head as he walks back to the stage and stands next to Kira. "My bet is on you!" we also hear in the distance, and the boy chokes up a little.

"District 10, your tributes this year! Kira Sarello and Pike Macentire!"

 **It's been a bit. Sorry. I've started work again, and also discovered Australia's Next Top Model. Anyways, I've enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you liked it! We are almost done. Then the fun begins!**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	16. District 11 Reapings

_One with the night,_

 _One with the day,_

 _One with the earth,_

 _That's the witches way._

* * *

 **Hyssop Leavy, 16**

 **District 11 Female**

Ellamora and Jussa sit around me and stare at the book that we've gotten all of our enlightenment from. It's opened to a page that will allow us the incantation to make a spell that will bring real rain for the crops. All rain is real of course, but the rain that will be beneficial. It's been an unusually dry year here in District 11. In a poor District like ours, we only become poorer on a bad year like this.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath and am about to start to the first stanza in the spell when Ellamora takes a deep breath, almost like a sigh, and forces me to open one eye. I unlink the circle and look at her again with a frustrated tone.

"Ella, we can't cast these blessings effectively if your negative energy is blocking the good we are trying to do."

"I can't shake what's been happening, Hyssop," she says. "Jussa can't either."

I look between the two girls who have now taken their hands back from our circle. Our coven is small, so we've always been open and honest with each other. Jussa's dark black hair is in a wild afro now that she's convinced her mother to allow it to be natural like nature intended. She's looked more fierce, and right now I have to admit I'm a little nervous. Ella's icy blue eyes are piercing me on the other side, so no matter which way I look there is no avoiding this conversation.

"There will always be ignorant people who don't understand why we do what we do," I say sternly. "We have to be the bigger person. The second we give the people of the District an opportunity to react to us it will turn into more than just snide comments."

"A dead carcass on my doorstep with a witch's hat on is not a snide remark," says Jussa. "We are enlightened beyond anyone in this District, and I refuse to let the natural auras I know I posses go unharnessed and unused as a means of protection."

"We all got a carcass on our doorstep, and the Peacekeepers said they would look into-"

"Oh yes, let's trust the guys whose kids are involved with the tormenting, to begin with. Face it, Sop, we need protection. If mother nature can't give us enough power to do so we will find it elsewhere." says Ellamora as she grabs the book from the center of the group's circle and flips it to the back. I instantly reach my hand out and jerk the book out of her hands. Her icy blue eyes stare daggers at me, and if looks could kill I'm pretty sure I'd be long gone right now.

"We do not go into the back of the book," I say sternly with as much authority as I can muster. "We are light. We do not tamper in the dark arts. We do not cast the spells that are in the back of this book. They're the ones that lost their way."

"If that were true it wouldn't be in the back of a book for "Witches of the Light," Sop," says Jussa. "I brought the chicken," she says as she gets up from the circle and exits the living room in the abandoned old Justice Building we hold our meetings in.

She comes back two minutes later with a life chicken in a wooden cage. It looks confused as it comes into the light of the lantern, and Ellamora pulls out a variety of other herbs that she must have been looking for a long time.

"You went outside of the garden?" I asked her appalled as I look at some of the herbs there. "We aren't supposed to use uncleansed herbs!" I say quickly trying to snatch the jar she's taking out of her bag.

"Jussa I told you she would respond like this," says Ellamora as she rolls her eyes and finally pulls the knife out of her bag. "Sop, whether you're here for it or not, we are going to hex those boys. They've earned it. They killed three innocent stray dogs as a practical joke, and that is something I cannot let go unpunished."

"You're about to kill another living thing to exact revenge on someone for killing a living thing!" I almost scream trying to talk common sense to the girls. "You're acting no better."

"The book calls blood for blood. They drew the first punch, so we are finishing the hex. They practically set themselves up for it."

"How did you even know the ingredients needed?" I ask as the sudden realization that they had to have gotten the book at some point to write these spells down.

"Your mother let us into your room the other day while you were finishing your job at the apple grove," says Jussa with an apologetic look. "Sop, you're our strongest latin reader. We need your help. We wouldn't do this if we weren't scared."

A sudden surge of curiosity fills me as I look at the girls back and forth. I take a deep breath and slowly start to extend my hands and reach for theirs. Jussa smiles as she takes mine, and Ellamora looks surprised. I take a deep breath and allow Ellamora to flip to the back of the book to her spell of choice. It's to call a plague on individuals.

"Are you ready?" I ask as a sudden burst of excitement fires inside of me. "Let's begin."

* * *

 _I like the orbit of the earth_

 _Constantly rotating and moving_

 _I try my best to be still_

 _But like the earth I need to move_

* * *

 **Chen Chu, 17**

 **District 11 Male**

Dad sits at the tranquility garden we have in the backyard with his legs crossed, and his eyes closed. He always looks like he's completely engorged in the activity. Meanwhile, I sit here antsy and ready to get up.

"Chen, you're doing it again." he says as he reaches out and touches my bouncing leg as I wait for this hour of my day to be done.

"Sorry," I say apologetically.

I do mean it when I say sorry. There's something about this that makes my dad happy, and I don't want to be disrespectful and tell him I don't exactly like it. That doesn't mean that I appreciate doing it every freaking morning, same time, same place, same dull eyelids I see every time I close my eyes.

Every time we go out and do this meditation thing, I always have ways that I can get up and move. Way number one comes at the 20-minute mark. I get up and use the bathroom. Dad knows that I don't have to go to the bathroom, but like I decide to continue to do this without telling him I hate it every day, he doesn't get in the way of me doing what I need to get through it.

The second moving technique comes in at the 40-minute mark. I get up and begin to "rake my issues and burdens away" in the sand pit that we have in front of the garden. I used just to do that the whole time and draw things with the rake in the sand, but dad caught on quickly and doesn't allow me over there for longer than 10 minutes now.

"I know you're sorry, son," he says with a nod without ever opening his eyes. "Just remember that you're going to have to see the importance in this type of exercise for it to seem valuable to you."

Pah. Exercise. Sitting crossed legged on the ground in your backyard is far beyond what I'd ever considered being exercise.

"Exercise of the mind, Chen." says dad as I stare at him bewildered. "You're not the only one who can open their eyes during this," he says with a wink. "You wear your thoughts on your face. Meditation would help with that," he says as he pats my shoulder and gets up from the garden to go inside.

I get up to follow, but he turns around and points to the garden. "You owe me 20 more minutes, Chen. You didn't take it seriously today. We've talked about this before."

"Dad," I whine as I look at him with an incredulous look on my face. But he holds up a hand and closes the door behind him. I'm left staring at the garden and facing away from the house. At least with the position, I'm in I don't have to close my eyes anymore.

It's hard when you're something that people don't understand. I've never felt very understood in my family. They're all sophisticated and calm, and I'm always trying to do more than I probably should take on. It's like there was a disconnect when my family had me, and all of the morals everyone seems to share.

It's not always easy being the black sheep.

The little girl next door runs through her backyard as she drags a kite behind her wherever she runs off too. There isn't enough wind for the kite to pick up, but she doesn't seem to mind as she dodges between the imaginary game that she's playing.

I smile to myself and quickly realize I'm envious of the child as she can run around in her backyard. Looking around my backyard I see not room to move, but restriction, and a lot of places that have no room for any play whatsoever.

I look back at the house and see my dad staring at me, sitting in his rocking chair. He has a mug of tea with him and he waves and gives me a slight wink as I turn back around and face the garden.

" _Remember, Chen; the meditation is supposed to bring upon reflection"_ I remember my dad saying over and over again to me.

Well, I've inevitably reflected, and have come up with the conclusion that I can't stand meditation. I can't stand this garden, and I can't stand this 'my way or the highway' attitude that my father throws around all the time.

I stand up and turn around to face him, only to be greeted with him raising his eyebrow. He points down at the garden, and I bow my head in shame and sit back down. I can't explain why I can't stand up to my dad.

I guess I'm just someone who was always meant to be trapped.

* * *

 _I do what needs to be done_

 _Always reliable, as sure as the sun_

 _My world lies at home,_

 _and home is where the heart is_

* * *

 **Vivica Fo, 24**

 **District Escort**

Everyone told me I wasn't going to make it. Look out, everyone. Here comes Vivica, the 17-year-old single mother. They all said that I would end up on the welfare system. Struggling to make ends meet for the rest of my life, but I showed them.

I finished school and got my degree in journalism. For a long time I thought I was going to work at a magazine until a scouting agent approached me about the reapings, and now this year, I'm also hosting the interviews. It's a new concept for this year's Hunger Games. Alexandra wants something to dazzle the audience, and truth be told, I think this will.

I believe that a tribute that people know will be way harder to watch die than a tribute that is just a name and a number. Walking down Victor's hall in this District's Justice Building, I can't even tell you the name of the two victors that this District has had. Their pictures are staring right at me, and they stand at the back of the stage when I enter, but their midlife age range and drastic unappealing demeanor makes them unknowns in the world of the Capitol.

Lucky for them.

"Hello, District 11! My name is Vivica Fo, and I'm excited to be here on this lovely afternoon. As you know, this year's Hunger Games is going to be like never before. Head Gamemaker Alabaster Goldwin is excited for all the twists and turns that he is going to throw at you guys this year. You won't see it coming! But enough about that, let's get to why we are all here. Shall we?"

I walk to the back of the stage where a large bowl full of names sits on the stand. I know that most of these kids have taken out tesserae and have had their names entered into the reapings multiple times.

It sucks being hungry. Most people look at me and see some Capitol bimbo, but I know what it's like to struggle. My life has always been one since I was a tiny girl. Just because I was born into a wealthy community doesn't mean I was wealthy myself.

Walking to the bowl, I pull a name from it and hope to God that it isn't a twelve-year-old. I couldn't bear to watch that this year.

"The female tribute for this years game is...Hyssop Leavy!"

A striking blonde girl with piercing eyes steps out of the 16-year-old girl section. As she walks people in her age group begin to part like the red sea, almost as if they're scared to be touched by her. Two girls were standing with her that is getting the same treatment. I wonder what they have done to get this treatment.

When the girl arrives, she stands next to me, and I can see a light trimmer as she stands. I smile at her and put my arm on her shoulder, and the audience gasp.

"Hello, Hyssop. Do you have anything you want to say to the District?"

"Yes, I-"

"Witch Bitch!" screams a male voice from the back of the audience. I'm not sure if it's from the 18-year-old section or if it's coming from the people not participating in the reaping. Hyssop gets an angry look on her face and grabs the microphone out of my hand.

"Dark red blood, and children's tongues. Dark of night is sure to come. Three days pass your time will come. The reaper greets you with open arms." She hands the microphone back as the audience freezes in fear, and I almost bust out laughing. I won't sit here and pretend to know a whole lot about witchcraft, but I know enough to know that it's usually herbs and understanding the earth rather than cauldrons and spells. The two girls she was standing with are grinning ear to ear as she walks to the back fiercely.

"Well, moving on," I say as I walk to the back of the stage and draw a name from the boy's bowl. I clear my throat as I walk back to the front of the stage and smile at the audience.

"Chen Chu?" I say again trying not to laugh. This kid has two last names as his name. Poor guy, can't help parents who do things like that though.

Chen walks to the front of the stage and smiles as he gets there. I don't know if he's trying to put on an act, or if he's just confident. He begins to bounce up and down in an antsy manner, but then very quickly, and if you blinked, you would have missed it. He has the slightest look of fear in his face.

"Chen, do you have anything you'd like to say to your District?"

"Don't count me out just because I'm from 11. I'm here to win," he says

 _Of course, you are._ I think to myself.

"District 11 I give you your tributes! Hyssop Leavy and Chen Chu!"

 **I hope this wasn't a bad chapter. I'm sorry it took so long. Lots going on, and it started raining while writing this, and I think I have a mild form of PTSD from this flooding because I've been on edge since I started it.**

 _ **ONE LAST CHAPTER AND THEN WE ACTUALLY CAN START.**_ **The reapings are my least favorite part of a story, so I'm glad to be done finally.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb** _  
_


	17. District 12 Reapings

**Trigger Warning: Body Shaming in Carolina's POV. Not outwardly, but inwardly.**

 **Also a false rape allegation of sorts. You'll see..nothing graphic.**

* * *

 _Put on your blindfold_

 _And I'll string you up_

 _Looks can be deceiving,_

 _Dance puppet dance._

* * *

 **Carolina Marie, 12**

 **District 12 Female**

"Your food. Miss," says Autumn's butler as he brings a silver tray into the game room in her house. She smiles as he reveals a tray of tiny shrimps and looks at the shrimp as if she hasn't eaten in days, and let me tell you; she could probably use that.

"Thank you, Joffery," she says as she takes one and pops it into her mouth. She smiles and rolls her eyes into the back of her head as she chews the tiny sea creature. "These are my favorite," she says to me as she looks back to the homework we were working on before her butler came in.

"You always talk about them," I say with a light smile. "I'm glad they're back in season for you."

She begins to chow down. For every five shrimp she eats, I have one. The platter is gone before we even have it for ten minutes, and suddenly she is leaning back in her seat and petting her stomach.

"Caro, am I fat?" she asks me solemnly. Her face tells me that she already knows the answer, but I know this friendship revolves around a healthy amount of dishonesty.

Here's the truth, I don't like Autumn. In fact, I've never liked Autumn. She's shallow and incredibly callous. She's pretty much the type of person that makes you want to take a piece of broken glass and smear it over your bare skin.

However, another truth for you, Autumn is rich. And I'm not talking rich for District 12. I'm talking _rich._ Autumn's family has more money than some people in the Capitol. I've no idea what her family does to get that kind of money, or what kind of honeypots her father has his hand in, but it's served them well.

If I'm friends with Autumn, I get the benefits of being friends with someone who has more money than they know what to do with. Her parents look at me as their second daughter. Autumn tells me her secrets, and if I ever needed to, I pretty much have a blackmail safety net. I'm set for life.

"Of course not, Autumn!" I say. "You just can't tell how skinny you are because everyone in the District is so thin due to not being able to eat."

I throw subtle digs at her like that all the time, and she never once catches on that I'm making fun of her. I don't do it to be mean. I do it mostly because I seriously don't think I can take her vapid comments without some retort.

"I wish that they would just be able to eat then," she says as she scrunches down her neck and allows her double chin to poke out from her neck. "It would make me feel so much more confident."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes as I look down at the homework and then throw my hands up. "I give up," I say looking at her. "Can we go do something fun? Like shopping? Or maybe even a horse ride?" I ask hopefully.

"This is worth a big chunk of our grade, Caro," says Autumn with a frown on her face. "We need to finish it."

I take a deep breath and let out a loud whine as I reach down and pick up the pencil. I'm going to need this girl to get me a super cute birthday present when I turn 13 in the next couple of days. I've earned it for how much I've had to put up with her.

"Fine," I say opening my eyes and seeing her hard at work. Her red hair is falling in messy locks down on the coffee table as she scribbles words across her page in a hurry. None of it is probably right. Let's be honest; her parents will hire someone to look over it and change it later. But it makes her feel intelligent when she does something like this.

Autumn is far from intelligent.

"Girls," says Autumn's mother as she strolls into the room. Her long emerald green sundress glides across the floor as she makes her way to the couch across from Autumn and me.

"Hi, mom,"

"Ms. Burns," I say with a smile.

"Carolina!" says Ms. Burns. "You know I won't have any of that. Call me mom. You're basically living here anyway. I told your brother you were spending the night tonight. I've had Joffery go out to buy you and Autumn new outfits for tomorrow, so you have something to wear."

"Wow, thanks, mom!" says Autumn excitedly. "Girls night!"

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "Thanks, _mom."_

I lean back with a giant smile on my face as I see the two people in this room with me. I imagine them attached to strings, like puppets. I laugh to myself as I imagine making them dance. They make this all too easy.

* * *

 _Life is a journey_

 _There's no such thing as grey_

 _Only black and white_

 _Good and evil_

* * *

 **Adam Ashford, 18**

 **District 12 Male**

It's the day before the reaping, and the market is always bustling on this day.

Since no one is ever opened on Reaping day; you have to go and get everything you need for the day itself ahead of time. Bosses tend to pay their employees early. People are out bartering for fabrics and clothes to wear for tomorrow. You almost wouldn't know that this is the poorest District in the country.

That is until you look closely and see the emaciated bodies.

I walk down the long clothing racks in one of the most expensive stores in the Capitol. I wanted to wear something special on my last reaping since I've survived all of the previous ones. I thought that looking nice for the last one is triumphant in a way.

I've been saving for months to get a pair of black leather dress shoes. I've had my eye on the same pair for the longest time, and month after month they've still been on the rack. I thought I wasn't going to be able to afford them today.

However, my boss surprised me with a "bonus" and told me "Thank you for all my hard work." So here I am today.

I walk over to the pair of shoes and pick them up in my hands. I run my hand across the shiny black leather and can't help but smile as I sit down on the bench in the store to try them on. When I take my shoe off I untie the laces on the black shoe and slide my foot into it.

Fits like a glove.

"Caro! Look at these shoes!" says a plump girl with bright red hair. You can tell she's wealthy by her clothes and the fact she's not ultra thin like everyone else. "Aren't they beautiful?!"

The shoes that the girl is holding up are the ugliest thing I've ever seen. However, I'm not going to say anything. I don't feel like it's my place.

"They're beautiful, Autumn! You'll be the talk of the District with those things on!" says a girl that I'm quite surprised to see. Carolina Marie appears from behind another clothing rack. She is dawning nice clothes, and I'm wondering how she's afforded them considering she's my neighbor.

As the redhead girl runs to the counter to pay for the shoes, Carolina rolls her eyes and mutters something under her breath. A wave of anger falls over me as I see her response to the redhead, and I get up and walk over to her in a hurry.

"Carolina, what was that?" I ask accusingly.

"Adam?" she asks me surprised. "What are you doing here?" she says with a smile. "We haven't talked in ages."

"I saw what you did to your so-called 'friend.'" I say with quotation marks around the word friend. "How do you think she would feel if I told her that you're making fun of her when she turns around."

Tears begin to well up in her eyes as she starts to sniffle. Tears pour from her eyes as she wipes them quickly and her voice starts to quiver. "Mam," she says sadly. "That boy over there in the plaid shirt just touched me, and he says he's going to follow me home," she says with tears running down her face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask confused.

Her entire face changes and the tears suddenly disappear as she wipes her eyes giving me a sadistic smile. "Just practicing what I'm going to tell the shop attendant and Autumn when you decide to open your mouth. Did I mention her mom is a lawyer?"

"Where is this appalling behavior coming from, Carolina? You were so sweet."

"I've worked hard to make something of myself," she says defiantly. "I'll be damned if you waltz in with your ugly black shoes and steal it all away from me. If you know what's good for you, stay away from Autumn and me." she looks down at my shoes and rolls her eyes. "And get better taste."

She walks away, and I swear I can see the venom as she races away towards the register carrying an expensive pair of high heels, and a dress over her shoulder. She smiles at the girl with the red hair as she pulls money out of her purse and pays for both Carolina's and her outfits.

"I hope she gets reaped," I mutter to myself as I go back and put my regular shoes off and bring my new black shoes to the counter. "I'd like to buy these," I say with a broad smile as I lay the money out on the counter for the attendant to see.

* * *

 _When playing with fire_

 _Someone is always going to be burned_

 _Because it's impossible to dance around flames_

 _And it's ridiculous to walk through the embers_

* * *

 **Brenn Fields, 24**

 **District Escort**

"Yes, Katherine," I say into the phone. "We were able to push the government into believing you weren't in District 13. However, I need you to still have a plan in action. Your little mission goes up in smokes the second they get a whiff of the scheme. I'm all for it, but babes, please, you need to be stealthier."

"You try being stealthy with a moody teen daughter and a baby," she says. "Not to mention I'm traveling survivor style with Lenovo Cane. Can we all just be impressed that I'm even still alive right now?" she asks with a small chuckle. "In all seriousness though, we've done the best we can. However, I'm surprised, Alexandra has been very quiet."

Yes, that is something that all of us involved in her little plan have noticed. There's not nearly as much propaganda as there was a few months ago. There has to be more to her plan. Or maybe she's finally given up the pursuit of Katherine.

"Or maybe she's finally decided to give up?" I say crossing my legs on the sofa. "She's obviously not getting anywhere. She has a whole surveillance team and state of the art technology at her disposal, and you've still avoided capture."

"My daughter killed her twin brother, Brenn," she says quietly. "They said it was Sailor who pulled the trigger, but Alma has been having nightmares ever since. You don't just stop looking for the person that killed your family," she says quietly.

"Brenn, it's time," says Jessica, my assistant as they appear in the doorway. "I have your pre-show water bottle here with me and ready to go when you are."

"Right!" I say with a smile. "Babes, love you, but I have to go now! Talk to you soon. Kiss kiss. Say hi to Michael and Janie for me!" I say making up two random names quickly for fear of exposure. My assistant has been all too quiet sneaking up on my recently. She's sneaky, and I don't know if I trust her.

I quickly get up from my chair and run towards her quickly. She hands me the water bottle, and I begin the walk to the stage.

When I arrive at the stage, I walk directly to the bowl plucking out a girl's name and a boy's name from the containers. I've learned not to draw this stuff out in the lower Districts. They always feel some way, and I'm just really not here to deal with it today. Especially after all I've done behind the scenes to help them.

"Hello, District 12!" I say proudly. "I'm excited to get started, but I don't think you like dragging this out any more than I like to. So without further ado, the female tribute for this year's Hunger Games is…" I say opening the pink envelope. "Carolina Marie!"

A girl in the front row of the 12-year-old section falls to her knees and begins to bawl her eyes out. She looks to a little girl with red hair who is staring at her wide-eyed and shocked begging her to do something. The Peacekeepers make their way to the little girl and bring her to the front of the stage, but I refuse to let her make a weakling out of herself to potential sponsors, so I skip right over the introduction and open up the male envelope.

"The male tribute for this year's Hunger Games is...Adam Ashford!"

A strong looking 18-year-old comes out of the male section looking pissed. There's a fierceness in his eyes as he mounts the stage. The first thing I notice about him is his shoes. They're nice.

"Nice shoes," I say to him.

His expression softens, and he gives me a light smile. "Thank you," he says. "I hope to make my District proud an-"

I'm tackled to the ground by Peacekeepers before he can finish his sentence. Jessica, my assistant, struts onto the stage and flashes a gold badge in my face. "Jessica Copperstone, PSA, Panem Secret Agency." she says with a sarcastic grin. "Brenn Fields, you're under arrest for planning an act of terrorism against the Capitol."

She begins to read me my rights, and the only thing I can think of right now is how we are on National Television, and everyone is watching.

 _Wait, everyone is watching._

"Katherine!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Get out of District 5! Don't let them get ahold of you! The end is near for the Dictator Alexandra Rabbel! I know you can do this."

I hear a gun cock behind me, and Jessica nods her head with an eye-roll. "Send a dispatching unit to District 5. All forces go. Back away from 13. I repeat back away from 13."

The gun fires, but at least I'm dying feeling satisfaction that I am saving this country from a sad fate.

 **Well, we are now done with the reapings! What do you think of everything?! Was this ending good or a shocker?!**

 **Who're your favorites now that you've met everyone?!**

 **Thanks for everyone who's stuck around. You guys keep me going!**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	18. Train Rides (D1-6)

_We agreed to play a game we knew how to play_

 _They changed the rules,_

 _They called the shots_

 _We are all just pieces on this giant board waiting for the hand to make us drop_

* * *

 **Eliza Orsini, 18**

 **District 1 Female**

* * *

"Holy crap," says Luxulo as we are watching the recaps from the reapings. We've made it all the way through District 12 and just saw the guy be shot in the back of the head. We also saw him shout out ex President Farrow; which was all but asking for a bullet to be put in his skull.

I haven't said a word since we've gotten on the train. More so, Luxulo hasn't _stopped_ talking. He's been trying to get me to open up to him for a few hours now, but all he's gotten in return is me staring back at him with wide eyes.

"I never thought they would execute someone on national television," says Luxulo as he stares at the television screen in awe. I realize I haven't heard Everleigh's voice and turn to see her white as a ghost sitting at the dining room table. A plate of mashed potatoes and grilled chicken sits in front of her.

"What's wrong?" asks Luxulo confused when he turns to see the same image. Everleigh doesn't acknowledge our looks. Instead, she gets up from the table and pulls out her phone walking into the main cabin hallway. She walks straight to her room and closes the door, locking it behind her.

I look at Luxulo and hold up a finger as I get up and creep towards her bedroom and put my ear to the door. She's talking fast and angry at someone, and she isn't making a lot of sense with her sentences.

"Ricardo, what the hell were you thinking to add Brenn into this fold?! He could have just blown this whole operation. And it's not something I'm willing to risk. The deal was I help, and I get the hell out of here before the station crashes." I wonder what station they're talking about, but I better not stay here for long in case she decides to come out of her room and catches me at her door listening.

I saunter away from the door and enter back into the living cart on our train station. Luxulo gives me a questioning look, but I shrug him off and go straight to the dining area to make some tea.

"Something's going on," I mutter. "I'm not sure what it is, but it didn't sound like any of my business." I open up the brewer and place a pod of herbal tea in the chamber. I press the brew button and tea begins to pour from the machine as Luxulo comes towards me.

"That's it? You're quiet this whole time, and you can't even tell me what you heard when you got up?"

"You could have just as easily gotten up and checked on the situation," I say with an annoyed tone. "Just because you didn't think enough to do so doesn't mean that I'm wrong for choosing to keep my distance from you."

"You kids in the academy are all the same." he cracks back. "You all have this entitlement issue that you cling to so tightly thinking you're so special. And the District allows you to think that. It's also why a scholarship kid like me has to work doubly as hard just to get noticed-"

"You don't know anything about me," I say.

I feel a sudden burst of anger inside of me, and then I go wide-eyed, and just as quickly as it came, it went away. I look at him shocked, and then roll my eyes and walk back to the couch with my tea in hand. I grab the remote off the middle cushion so I can continue watching the Capitol's reactions to the tributes this year. Not that I think there will be much buzz about us when there was a live execution.

"There doesn't seem like there is a lot to know, Eliza." he continues. "You're rich and have had everything handed to you your entire life. You always do good at everything you do and-"

I bust out laughing, which I think annoys him, but he's an actual idiot if he's just spouting off all this crap and believes it.

"You're a real moron." I say with full sincerity in my voice. "Like actually a moron. I'm on scholarship too, asshole; when the breadwinner in your family dies of cancer, it takes away the cash flow. Not to mention his job didn't give him paid leave. So we were walloped. So before you sit here and spout any other 'woe is me' bullshit, please take a moment and assess that the very ignorance you think I posses is showing through your temper tantrums." I say with a very monotoned voice. I didn't bother looking at him through that whole process, but I know that he's shocked by the lack of response I just got from the statement I made.

"Are you two ready to talk training?" asks Masque and Elegra as they appear in the doorway of the cabin. "Or did we come at a wrong time?"

"You can start with him," I say getting up from the couch with tea in hand. I toss the remote to Masque, and he nods in gratitude as I step by him and Elegra and head down the hallway to my room on the train. As I pass by Everleigh's room, I notice her still mumbling quickly and urgently into the phone, which does send me into a curiosity about what is going on with her. However, I'm more so curious about how the boy with the ever-growing chip on his shoulder sparked a response of anger from me. I haven't felt anger in a long time. Not that it wasn't an exciting change from my normal numbness, but I might just talk to him again in hopes that I can get that spark again.

* * *

 **Kyper Bridges, 18**

 **District 2 Male**

* * *

I totally killed how I handled myself at the reapings the other day. That girl thought she had me beat, but I decimated her entire being when I retorted on the stage. It's easy to call someone out when you can't have them respond right away.

"Can you pass the salt?" I ask her as both Maisla and I as well as our escort and mentors sit around the most awkward dinner in the entire planet.

"I'm sorry," she says looking back at me. "I'm gonna have to ask you to repeat. Your accent is too strong. I don't speak trick ass bitch."

Kassia, our female mentor, lowers her face into the soup she's been eating and stifles laughter as Maisla continues to enjoy her meal. She looks over to the male mentor, Zeus, and begins to start a conversation with him. "So we are trainin' separately right? Cause I'm not lookin' to mess with this boy longer than I need to," she says giving me a side eye.

"I think that might be best," says Kassia finally being able to look up from her soup. Some advice I will give you both, mainly Maisla, however, is how you talk. You need to be able to come across like one of the Capitol citizens. Maisla, your accent, charming as I'll get out, isn't screaming sponsor me."

"Neither does her attitude," I state with a head cock to the side. "Speaking of which, are we going to go through etiquette lessons, because though I could go on all night about the lack of awareness my partner has, we can simply see it all with her dining habits," I say with a smirk.

"Baby boy, you're messin' with the wrong one."

" _Baby girl,_ " I say mocking her, and her face turns into a hard glare as she looks at the mentors and me. "The wrong one has had salad dressing on her chin for the past five minutes," I say wrinkling my face in a sad expression. "Keep reaching."

"That's enough of you antagonizing each other," says Rondel. "Every year, I'm always stuck with a career district and every year I catch myself hoping that one of you will come back. You won't come back if you continue to fight,"

"I'm sorry, aren't you the escort?" asks Maisla confused.

"And they're right, Maisla. The way you talk is fine for when you're only around us, but when around other tributes and potential sponsors you need to cut the slang. It's a recipe for disaster, and honestly, your District should have prepared you a lot better than they did. That doesn't mean you're perfect either, Kyper."

"Bitch, what?" I ask looking confused. Maisla bust out laughing as my face switches from triumphant to insulted in a matter of milliseconds.

"You have a certain level of prissiness about you that isn't flattering at all. You talk like you're above people, and if you conduct yourself like that during the interviews, or even during the parade, you won't have the support system you need to make it far in the games. The girls from 1 and 4 are not the typical archetypes that you see come out of the Districts, so the Capitol is going to be more interested in them. The boy from District 4 is handsome and came across charming as I'll get out during the reapings. So you're going to have to blow these tributes out of the water to be noticed. That training starts now."

"You're starting to get annoyin'," says Maisla looking over at Rondel. "More so than this TAB.," she says pointing at me. "I shortened it so I wouldn't continue to have to say trick ass bitch."

"Annoying." says Rondel in a corrective tone.

"Rondel is one of the most followed Escorts in Panem," says Kassia looking at the two of us before I have a chance to retort at Maisla. "He got me through my games, and Zeus through his. He is smart, and he knows how to work his job."

My head starts to get clouded with rage as he points out my flaws but I quickly start doing the breathing exercises that my therapist taught me. The anger begins to reside as I take the breaths and the others continue their talk and don't notice that I've had to calm myself.

The truth is I know I'm the baddest bitch on this train, but I need to control those urges to let people know it.

"So is this a more accurate way while talking to people?" asks Maisla as she actively works to get rid of her slang as she speaks. "I don't want to sound "lower class," she says giving a glare at Rondel.

"Yes, that is much better. People of the Capitol will appreciate the conscious effort. And as far as both of your looks, we are going to make thing a bit different." says Rondel.

"Hell no," says Maisla giving eyes to Kassia for help. "No one is changin' anything about my physical appearance."

"Changing," states Rondel, "And yes we are if you plan on getting sponsors." he says with a slight head cock.

* * *

 **Hindi Kabyle, 17**

 **District 3 Female**

* * *

Lexus and I have had very casual conversations during our time on the train. It's not that we haven't wanted to talk. I think right now I'd want nothing more than to have someone who can relate to what I'm going through speak to me.

The truth is, I am still in absolute shock that I was selected to go into the Hunger Games. Nothing that I've played out in my head ever could have prepared me for what was going to happen the second Ashton called my name out over the microphone. I don't even remember how anything happened if I'm sincere. One minute I was standing in the crowd waiting to hear the name of the female tribute, and the next minute I'm standing on stage.

Our escort and mentors have long since gone to bed, but Lexus and I just sit on the sofa and stare at each other. Occasionally one of us will look away and stare at the wall, but there's only so much design you can look at before your eyes start to get bored.

"Do you think either of us has a shot?" Lexus suddenly asks interrupting the silence. I turn my head to look at him, and he is staring at me with a hopeful expression.

Honestly, I don't see a scenario given the tributes I've seen reaped where either of us makes it out. And trust me, I've tried to think of every possibility. The truth of the matter is someone coming from the District 3 with weak bodies, and short statures are nowhere near ready to compete against kids that have trained for this their whole life.

Not to mention, Lexus is only 14-years-old. The youngest person to ever win the games at this point has been 16. She was a case of luck too. But I can tell that he needs something right now, and if I can give that to him by lying to him, then I'll do it.

"Yes," I say. "I think everyone has a shot. We don't know what the arena will be like, and we don't know how the other tributes are going to add up. Maybe we will get lucky, and the entire career pack will turn on each other early."

That was so well thought out I almost convinced myself.

However, I'm not daft to the idea that these moments are going to be my last. In the entire 33 years that Panem has had the Hunger Games; District 3 has had 2 Victors. That's exactly 6% of the entire games belonging to us. I suppose we are doing better off than Districts like 12 who have had none but not by much.

Our standouts are far and few between.

The only years that we've won are years where technology has played a big part in the games. I don't want to sound negative, but given last year and how technological it was, I don't see the Capitol throwing another arena like that in our favor. Cortana was close, but in the end, she couldn't pull off the win.

"Thanks for lying to me," he says softly as his eyes drift off away from me and he gets up from the couch. He crosses the room until he stops at the window that opens up as a mini sofa and wraps around inside. Kind of like a bubble of sorts.

I get up and follow him to the window and take a seat. He scoots over, and I curl my legs up to my chest as I look out the back of the train and watch the world that I've never seen fade into the background.

"You know it's funny," I say. "Even as we get older, the experiences we are allowed to have in our country are insufficient."

"Yeah, we are always behind the gates. Wherever they tell us to go, that's where we have to be," he says glancing over at me.

"I'm in no way excited about going into this arena. But it's so cool to see the world that we would have never gotten to see before we were reaped." I say. "Like the ground like we are traveling over right now could be the very place that the American Civil War was fought on. Or the Capitol could maybe be where the Twin Towers fell. I think they called that 9/11? I'm assuming that was the day."

He glances over at me with a soft smile.

"At least if we're being forced to end our lives, we will do it with some life experience. More so than our parents at least."

"We have a chance to see something completely different out there. We have the opportunity to see the things our grandparents always told us about!" I say getting a bit excited. "So in a way, at least we are dying more cultured," I say with a shrug. "We should send the Capitol a thank you card."

He genuinely laughs as he stares at me. There's something about this boy that makes me want to protect him. He reminds me of my little brother Voro. He's about the same age as him.

"Thank you," he says. "I needed that."

"Just trying to make this easier for everybody," I say quietly. "This is going to be an emotional couple of weeks.

* * *

 **Aeron Caloss, 18**

 **District 4 Male**

* * *

Epiphany and I have only been on this train for about three hours now. And we are having _a lot_ of fun. I finally had to leave the room because I was exhausted from all the libido that this girl has, but if this is going to get me, sponsors, I'll gladly crawl under the sheets with someone.

It's not like I don't get to enjoy it at the moment as well.

I'm sitting in the living room with a red silk robe on with a sandwich and lemonade in front of me. A few minutes, I'm halfway done with my sandwich, and Alia pokes her head out of the hall and rolls her eyes at me.

"You're seriously the biggest slut I know, Aeron," she says as she comes and sits at the table. "I have been sitting in my room blasting music because you two are so loud. I thought you two would never call it quits."

"She didn't want to." I say quite honestly. "However, it burns a lot of energy. So, order up." I say as I bite into the last bite of the sandwich. I turn around and look at the Avox that is standing in the kitchen and raise my eyebrows at him. "Is there any way you can make me another one of these?"

He nods his head and then looks at Alia with a questionable expression.

"If it's not too much trouble I'd like one as well," she says sweetly. "Thank you," she turns back to me with a glint of intensity in her eyes. "Have you had time to look at the other tributes in between your little pow-wow sessions?"

I haven't. There's not been a lot of downtime for Epiphany and myself, and being as I was just now able to get a sandwich or two in, I think it should be a pretty obvious answer; especially if she's been able to hear us the whole time like she's been claiming.

"Yes," I lied. "After round 3 we were able to take a bit of a break and analyze the other tributes," I say. "What did you think of them?"

If she can tell I'm lying, she doesn't say anything as she clears her throat and pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket. She unfolds it, and flattens it on the table and begins to read off her opinions on the tributes.

"District 1 the girl strikes me as weird, and I don't think we should trust her for a long time. The boy looks like he has a lot to prove, and because of that, he might make more reckless choices. So if we have to take one our own out early, my vote is on him."

She continues to read the list when we hear a clumping down the hallway. Epiphany stumbles into the room as she trips into the main room. "Oh hello, Alia," she says with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"Not as well as you apparently." says Alia with a sly smile as she quickly begins to fold her paper up and put it back in her pocket.

I laugh into my sandwich, not as a way to be rude to Epiphany, but I wasn't expecting such an offhanded joke from Alia. This side of her is something new, and I don't know if she's trying to make me comfortable with her, or if she's just considering me a friend.

I turn to look at Epiphany, who is now a dark shade of red, and she just walks straight out of the living cart and back into her room. Alia turns back to me and raises an eyebrow. "Honestly, Aeron, you get around more than lice a child care facility."

"I take offense to that." I joke as the Avox places another sandwich in front of me. I smile and nod at him as he puts the same in front of Alia and walks off. "I have standards you know."

"Yeah, you do," she says as she takes the sandwich and pulls it in half. "It has to be able to breathe, move, and talk on its own."

I roll my eyes and look back at her with a concerned look. She immediately switches the mode and gives me a quizzical look back. "What's up?" she asks me.

"I keep thinking of Malachi," I say quietly as I look down at the sandwich that has remained uneaten. "I know me, and you weren't exactly close in District 4, but you were the only one to know other than Lucy that we were a thing, well, kind of a thing," I add. "The truth is I didn't know what the heck we were, and now I'm already crawling into bed with another person and not even thinking twice about him. Does that make me a bad guy?"

She pauses for a long time, and I can tell she's thinking about what to say. After a few moments of just quiet, which drives me absolutely mad, she takes a deep breath. "Good people don't win the Hunger Games, Aeron," she says with finality. "Whether or not Malachi means anything to you is irrelevant at this point. You need to do what you can to survive. Because that's all, we are going to be able to do once that timer hits 0 during the bloodbath."

"But you never answered my question," I say pressing her. "Does that make me a bad person?"

She gets up from the table, and I notice that her face winces as she puts the weight on her right knee. She quickly gets rid of the expression and looks over to me with a shrug. "I don't know," she says as she picks up her sandwich and turns around from the table to walk back to her room. When she gets to the edge of the hallway, she turns around and gives me a soft glance and smiles. "I guess that's all dependant on what you saw him as before you left," she says as she disappears down the hallway leaving me alone in my thoughts.

* * *

 **Alina Brightley, 18**

 **District 5 Female**

* * *

I haven't been able to breathe since my name was called at the reaping. I keep thinking of all the different ways that I could die in the arena, and then I started thinking about ghost and the afterlife. I'm not ready to be apart of all of that yet.

I'm only 18.

Kellar looks like he's gotten a second chance at life as he looks around the train cart with all of the food and luxuries that we didn't get back in District 5. He has eaten seven plates of food since arriving on the train, and I'm confused where he is putting it all because the boy is skinny.

"This is good." he says as he looks over at the escort who is rolling her eyes.

"Boy, if you don't start chewing with your mouth closed I'm going to pop you in your lips. Like literally pop you in your mouth," she says with certainty as I chuckle for the first time since I've gotten on the train.

"Now, since y'alls mentors are irrelevant, and one of them is a fugitive on the run, and the other two are married and MIA, you're stuck with me. Here's how this is going to go," she says as she sets her fork down and looks at us. "You will do exactly as I say when I say to do it, and exactly how I tell you. There is no improvisation; there is no you think. It's Desi's way or the highway. Are we understood."

I raise my eyebrows as I look at her and then promptly roll my eyes.

"Little girl, no no mama, you don't know me. Stop playing with me. Stop. Playing. With. Me." she snarls as she glares my way. "Mr. Potatoes over here already pissed me the hell off for stealing away my dramatic moment today during the reapings. If you want to go down this road with him, I will get no sponsors for either of you. Make that a bet and a half." she says. "You can put your life on that. And judging by your attitudes and the way you're acting, you might have too," she says with a cocky shoulder shrug as she picks her fork back up and digs into her chicken.

We sit through the rest of dinner in silence as we watch her take small bites of her chicken. After about thirty minutes she decides that she's had enough and gets up from the table. "Don't be too loud tonight," she says. "I'm not about to lose my beauty rest because you two are boohoo-ing you gotta go into the games."

She exits the cart, and I look at the ceiling and frown. "If there are any ghost on this train, I need you to haunt her. And I'm not talking about the little 'there's a noise in my closet' thing. I want her being lifted from her bed and thrown on the floor. She's a vile woman."

"Do you believe in that stuff?" asks Kellar as he gives me a questioning look. "Like in ghost and stuff."

"I mean…" I say slowly not sure how to answer this correctly. "Yes, I do. My dad was a horror novel author. Maybe you heard of him? Kevin Brightley?"

"No way," he says. "Kevin Brightley is your dad?! I read his books while I was in prison waiting for my trial."

I hadn't known how to bring that up with Kellar, so I'm glad he did it for me. I look down at my plate and then look back up at him probably way too quickly to look normal. "For the record, Kellar. I didn't think that you were guilty in that case at all. I thought the judge was very harsh."

"You knew about that?" he asks me solemnly. "I thought maybe I was going to be able to get away from that now that I was out of the District."

"It's not your fault that the mayor's daughter decided to off herself," I say matter of factly. "You know something weird is that I thought I saw her one night when I was trying to hear from my dad."

This is, of course, a lie, but the poor guy is already branded a pariah by the district. If I can ease his pain a little bit, then that's what I'll do.

"Really?" he asks me with a hopeful look in his eyes. "What did she say?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly paying attention to her. I'm more focused on finding my father, but I think it had something to do with sorry that you're getting blamed for her mistakes." I say as I shrug my shoulder. "She's not lying. It is dumb."

"Thanks, Alina." he says with a smile.

"Of course," I say as I get up from the table and move to the back of the hall where my room is. I think I've earned a nap.

* * *

 **Cartier Ford, 16**

 **District 6 Male**

* * *

The crash keeps playing back in my head over and over as I sit on this train. I can't help but think of the little boy that died when my dad crashed into him. I can't help but think of the look on the mother's face and her sadness as she clutched her dead child in her arms.

My dad didn't even come and say bye to me when they took me to the back of the justice building. I sat there for what seemed like forever as people in my District came in and out of the room to say bye to me, and my father couldn't even be bothered enough to see his oldest son before he goes off to die.

"You'll have to give him a break sweetie," says my mother. "A lot is going on right now. I'm not saying what he's doing is right, but he could be worse."

I don't want to hear her excuses for him. It only makes me resent her for the things that he's doing. No father should ever do what he's doing to their kid.

"Okay, dude," says Talia as she stares at me from across the cart. "You're going to have to tell me what's going on with you. You have this whole "I'm struggling with my inner despair and tragedy" monologue going on in your face. So spill."

"You don't want to know," I say as I turn to the side. She lets out a laugh that surprises me and forces me to stare at her. She has her hand covering her face, and her eyes are watering as she tries to stifle the laughter and catch her breath.

"Oh my gosh," she says. "You're more dramatic than I thought!" she says. "Obviously I want to know. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you. So why don't you be a man and confront your feelings rather than run from them? Or actually, I think that might be the opposite of what a man does. At least in my experience. How about this, tell me what's going on, and maybe I can help?" she asks like she's questioning herself. "Yeah, that's what I was going for."

"I," I begin and then pause staring at her. "I'm not sure where to start," I say slowly.

"Well the beginning is always a good place to start," she says as she comes and sits cross-legged on the couch next to me. She turns her body to face mine, and then grabs the pillow off my lap and places it on hers. "You need your hands to talk," she says as she holds the pillow close to her chest and smiles at me waiting for me to answer.

"Well, I was recently just released from prison for drug dealing to get my family some money so we could stay afloat."

"Like, how recent though?" asks Talia with a skeptical look. "Is it like so recent that I should be scared to be sharing a couch with you, or not recent enough for it to be something that can come up in a casual conversation?"

"Like I was released yesterday," I say with a bit of regret in my voice. She tenses on the couch but then slowly relaxes as she seems to be talking herself down in her head as she stares at me on the sofa.

"Go on," she says,

"Well," I begin. "My dad wasn't exactly proud of my stop in the federal prison, and because of that he was very harsh with me," I say as tears begin to build up in my eyes. She looks around the room and then sees something on the table and runs to grab it. She brings back a red cloth napkin from dinner that was unused and hands it to me. I smile and take it graciously.

"He told me that he was not my father anymore and that I took the easy way out and I should be ashamed of myself. But I did everything I did for him. I saw how hard he and my mom were working in the factories and I just wanted to help. I never took the drugs I sold, and I always sold to people I knew were already strung out, so I knew I wasn't starting anyone on a new habit-"

"Yeah, your dad is a dick from what I'm hearing, but selling to only strung out people doesn't make it okay," she says with a grimace on her face. "So, is that all that happened, or?"

"He got into a terrible car accident and killed a younger teen boy. It just keeps replaying in my head over and over. There was blood everywhere."

"Damn, Cartier," she says. "That got gruesome fast," she says. A long silence follows, and I am starting to regret telling her what happened when she clears her throat. "Life sucks. The situation we are in only proves that statement even more. But we can either decide to let what's happened in our life define us or chose to be defined by what we learned from our past. I'm not going to let you spend your potential last days in self-doubt and self-loathing. So we are going to tell each other everything from now until the Capitol."

"Wait for what?" I ask confused staring at her.

"Saddle up, Cartier," she says with a clear expression on her face. "My turn to talk. I'm going to start with Vinegar Tits because oddly enough she's who I miss the most right now. I need a nemesis is something I'm starting to realize."

This girl has absolutely no boundaries, but oddly enough I'm enjoying talking to her. She's taking my mind out of myself, and allowing me to experience the happy side of things as I face the impossibly fatal end that the games will inevitably bring.

"Vinegar Tits?" I ask confused.

"Let me tell ya, honey," she says with a raised eyebrow. "She sure earned that name."

 **Well here is the first train ride! I hope that you guys like it! I've seen a massive amount of late reviews come in. I'm SO thankful that you guys are catching up. But I will say this because I think it's essential for you guys that aren't to understand.**

 **I will** _ **never**_ **have a tribute win that's submitter isn't reading. Whether you communicate with me through PM or review, you need to talk. The only thing you do by not reviewing is made my bloodbath a lot easier.**

 **Check-in 3: What do you think your tributes idea training score would be? Be reasonable.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	19. Train Rides and Arrival

**Haha, I'm unpredictable...Not really. You know the drill. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _When the hand drops_

 _We all learn our place_

 _We are all merely pawns_

 _In their gory games_

* * *

 **Kegn Yuehan, 16**

 **District 7 Male**

* * *

Can someone explain to me how I'm supposed to kill someone like Abigail? She's the tiniest and sweetest thing. She doesn't deserve to be here, and I'm feeling like an ass even wanting to go home at this point.

"We are about 3 hours away from the Capitol," says Abigail as she knocks on the door to my bedroom. "Or at least that's what the captain says…"

Last night was rough for both of us, but I didn't expect to see her curled up in a ball with a blanket and pillow on my floor when I woke up this morning. When I asked her why she didn't wake me up, she said she didn't want to bother me, but she was scared. So tonight we are planning on having a sleepover in the living room of the training center. That way we both have a place to sleep.

"Well, I'm sure it will be a fun time regardless. They're going to have more food than we can imagine, and I've heard in all of the interviews that the showers are amazing!"

She perks up a tiny bit as I mention the very few positives to being in the Hunger Games. The truth is, if you're an outer District kid, you have to hold onto the little things like that. Otherwise, you are going to end up in a very dark place. I've seen a few people from seven win. None of them were depressed and sad about their situation.

"Do you think that the other tributes will be as fierce in person as they were during the reapings?" asks Abigail as she crosses the room to sit in the oversized armchair next to the train window. "The girl from 2 reminds me of a warrior princess I read about in school once. I'm not looking forward to meeting her."

I sadly do think that there will be fierce competition, but I also believe it will be worse in person. I wouldn't tell her that though.

It sucks I have to watch her go through this. No one is going to miss me after I'm gone, but someone like Abby, she would be missed. She's such a bright kid. She has so much that she could live for outside of these games. She has a family that actually cares about her. She deserves to win this. She needs to win this.

"I don't think they'll look nearly as scary. I've heard the television makes people seem taller than they are." I say as I look at her trying to give her peace of mind during this time. She needs to be ready for when we arrive on the train platform. Otherwise, she won't get any attention from the media.

"Can we get you two in the main living cart?" asks our Mentor Bryce. Abigail jumps upon hearing his voice. I didn't quite jump, but I wasn't exactly _not_ surprised to see him appear in the doorway. "We are going to brief about what to expect before getting off the train."

We both get up and slowly walk over to the living cart, and sitting there is Bryce and Austin looking not so pleased with whatever is going on.

"I'm going to lay it to you straight," says Bryce as he stares both Abby and me down. "The likelihood of either of you making it out of the games is very small. However, very possible. The trick to how is, you can't let your imagination get the best of you. You're going to see some already tripped out things in the games. You can't allow those to build by letting your thoughts go wild."

"If we have such a small chance of survival though, is there a point?" asks Abby looking sad as she is fighting off tears.

"There's always a point. Remember I am from the same District as you," says Bryce. "I had no training. I hadn't eaten well ever, and I certainly didn't know anything about killing. But I had a skill that I developed and allowed myself to use that to succeed. You as a tribute and my mentee need to find that thing. Capitalize your skill, and you're bound to do well in these games. Especially if you're skill is something like agility or something."

"And what if you don't have something special about you?" I ask bitterly. I didn't mean to ask that out loud. It was supposed to be more of a question to myself than a verbal declaration of my self-loathing.

"Everyone has something special, Kegn," says Abby. "There is something that you can do that no one else on this earth can do. There is a purpose made for you to fulfill. That's why these games are so brutal. They take away that potential and opportunity."

That sentence right there. That alone is the reason I need Abby to win these games. Something so sweet and so pure deserves to have a shot at life. I will stop at absolutely nothing to make sure that Abby comes out of this arena.

"Very well said, Abigail," says Austin. "I think that you'll be a hit with the audience.

"I do too," says Bryce.

Me three.

* * *

 **Rhea Sanger, 18**

 **District 8 Female**

* * *

You have to wonder if you're being punished when you come into a place like this. Somewhere along the lines, you had to piss something or someone off to get to this point, right? Because it doesn't make sense to me that a genuinely good person would get placed into the Hunger Games. You have to have something that you've done wrong.

Looking back though, and this isn't to say that I'm perfect, but I genuinely don't know what I've done that's bad. _Oh, look at Rhea, delivering babies and making families whole again. So_ _bad._ Then again, I should know better than to mock things that I don't understand.

"Your eyes really could be brought out more with some color in your wardrobe. This whole "I'm an earthy girl" vibe is so three games ago." says Jute as he's been apparently having a whole conversation. I must have zoned out.

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask confused.

"Are you okay?" he asks me giving me a weird look. "You've seemed really….out of it? Did you sleep well last night?" he asks more as a question than a statement. Although I've never met this kid before the reapings, I've noticed he's had a particular eye for the little things.

Just a piece of advice, never trust someone you couldn't get away with lying to.

"Yeah, I did. I just have a lot on my mind." I say quietly.

I look around the living room cart on this train, and it dawns on me that this is almost as big as my house that I live in back home. The people of the Capitol have so much; it's almost scary to think how much goes to waste while there are individuals in the Districts starving.

Last night we had a full five-course meal for dinner, and I haven't seen any of the leftover food. And there was plenty of it. I could have fed my family with the leftovers for maybe a week. Second helpings included.

"Yeah," says Jute with a frown on his face, which he quickly straightens out and then smoothes his forehead. "I can't help but think the worst in this situation. I feel like there's so much to lose, and not enough to win."

"Rather insightful for someone about to go into a death match," I say with a grin. "Does that mean if we're final 2 I'll get to win since you don't see the benefits?"

He chuckles. "You wish."

I actually don't know if I'd want to align with Jute. I don't feel like I'd be able to outsmart him. He seems like the kind to plan. One step at a time. I've heard him talk about the clothes he designs with Esteem. Always three steps ahead of what he is currently thinking. I've never met anyone that can do that before.

"I just….I don't want to lose myself playing their game." he says. "I don't want to be another random outer District. I'm willing to kill," he says as he gives me an apologetic glance. Which again, gives me an unsettling feeling, "But I don't know if after the fact that I do I'll be able to look at myself the same in the mirror."

It's funny because last night all I could think about was that as I was attempting to sleep in my bed. Which pissed me off. Firstly, that was a comfortable bed. Like the most comfortable I've ever been on, and I didn't even really get to enjoy it. I find solace in that I can take a nap before arriving at the Capitol today. Secondly, and maybe even the scariest part of this whole experience, is it's testing my character.

The truth is if push came to shove, I don't think I could take another person's life. Even if that action meant saving my own. Because at the end of the day I bring life into the world. I watch their parent's face light up as I hand them their newborn wrapped in a blanket.

To take away someone's newborn wrapped in a blanket makes my stomach ache in pain. Even if that means saving my own life.

"Yeah," I say with a soft grin attempting to play off my thoughts. "I understand completely."

"You're not one to give away much information are you?" he asks me continuing to press and question. "Not that I'm trying to be like, nosey, but you've just been quiet since getting on the train."

"Oh, I'm all right," I say. "I'm just not used to living in this nice of a place."

"Okay," he says with a skeptical grin.

"I'm going to go take a nap," I say as I get up from the couch and walk towards the exit of the living cart.

"If last night was any indication you need it. I could hear you through the wall," he says with a wink and a smile.

Again, just a piece of advice. Don't trust someone you can't lie too.

* * *

 **Charon Ortega, 18**

 **District 9 Male**

* * *

There is one night before I'm faced with walking off this train and into the world of survival and pure competition. There is everything to lose from the moment I step onto the platform, and everything to gain if I play my cards right.

Zea has been distant from almost everyone in the cart. I notice that she isn't like that with Eponine, who I'm confused as to why they're here, but with everyone else she's unpredictable.

I want to help her because I know this must be a tough time. Especially because Eponine wants nothing to do with her. We were talking at dinner, and she had said blatantly and kind of rudely, "A lot of weird wrapped up into one tiny body." she said to me.

"But you're the one who gave up her job for a boy who doesn't even like her." I snarked back as she shoveled food into her mouth like she's never seen it before in her life. Safe to say that it didn't go over well and the rest of the dinner was far from pleasant.

Which leads me to standing in front of Zea's door with a plate of food awkwardly preparing to knock knowing she full and well will either slam the door in my face if she decides to answer the door at all.

I make a fist and rack my knuckles onto the wooden oak door. I instantly hear shuffling in her room, and it's a while before she finally makes her way to the door and opens it. Her eyes grow wide the second she answers the door and immediately closes it to where I can only see her eye when I look at the entrance to her room.

"What do you want?!" she asks me quickly.

"I just wanted to come check on you," I say softly. I don't want to upset her too much to the point where she runs away. This is the first time she's talked to me since getting on the train, and it's nearly been two days. "You weren't at dinner. I, uh, I brought you some food."

She cracks the door a little extends her hand to take the plate. She looks at me with wild eyes as she quickly brings her arm, and the plate, into her door and slams it shut. I hear movement and the plate making an impact on a surface of something and then she returns to the door and cracks it again.

"I suppose now you want to have your way with me or something?" she says accusingly. "Not. Don't be stupid. You don't know me! I will not allow that." she says

I start laughing, and she opens up the door to show a face that looks insulted. I really should explain to her that I'm gay as they come, but for some reason, I don't think that would matter.

"What's so funny?! You look moronic! Stop laughing at me you fool!"

I wipe a tear from my eye that was poured over while I was laughing at her, and I took a deep breath and then smiled. "I mean, I don't think I could have my way with you."

"And why is that?!" she asks sounding insulted. She needs to decide her end game here. If this is a come on, I can't imagine it going to well. Even for a straight guy.

"Well, I'm gay," I say. "I'm surprised you couldn't tell."

She opens up her door all the way and grabs me by my arm. "In," she says as she pulls me into the room. I stumble hard, and I'm surprised to see that the room is relatively still clean. We only have male Avox's on the train, so she hasn't been allowing them into her room to clean. She crosses over to the bed and sits down, grabbing her plate of food off the nightstand and begins to eat it. "I don't make friends easy," she says as she shoves a dinner roll in her mouth and takes a bite. "But since there are no other options and you are indeed gay, I suppose you'll do for the time being."

"Shocker," I say as I walk over to the chair and in the opposite corner of the room and take a seat. I don't want to sit too close to her and risk spooking her.

"No need to be rude, Gay Boy," she says. "Wait, is that what I call you? I have questions, and that was one of them, but on my list of priorities it is much farther down than the reason I brought you into the room."

I don't know if I should laugh again or be insulted by the words she just spoke. I know this girl is incredibly awkward though, so I'm going to chalk it up to the fact she doesn't talk to people often. "Well, uh," I begin to say not sure how to say this delicately. "Most people call me Charon," he says. "At least to my face. I'm sure what you just called me though has been mentioned once or twice about me in my lifetime."

"Sorry was that rude? I didn't know your name. I still don't know if I trust you either. Men are pigs, but if you're with one, you are with one right?" she asks me interrupting her thoughts. I nod yes, and she continues. "But if you're with one I have one less man that I have to be worried about trying to get with me. That's not the question I wanted to ask either though."

"Okay," I say. Safe to say I don't think I'll be making an ally out of Zea. "What's your question?"

"How did you know you were gay? Like you liked men? Hence why I called you gay boy, because you're rather skinny and don't resemble a man at all. More like a tall kid."

"Well, that's a bit more complicated of a story," I say as I look at her. "Do you want to hear all of it?"

"I suppose I can make time for you as I eat my dinner. If it interests me maybe some time after as well."

So this is how I ended up in a room with an awkward nutjob talking about how I came to terms with my sexuality.

* * *

 **Kira Sarello, 14**

 **District 10 Female**

* * *

The train doors open and I walk out onto the train platform to what seems like a million cameras flashing in my eyes. There is a step to take before you hit the platform and I almost fell off it because everything is so bright and I can't see. Pike has to physically grab me by the back of my shirt and lift me back onto the step.

"You're supposed to not fall on your big day," he whispers in my ear as he smiles for the cameras that continue to flash. I think I fell subtly enough for them not to see him have to lift me back up, but knowing the media, anything can happen.

"Thanks," I whisper. "I think we talked about that right? Something about making a good first impression?" I ask sarcastically as I wave at the camera as our escort instructed us. "I think that's what they want to see right? Us smiling as they ship us out to the slaughter."

I like Pike well enough, he seems like a nice person overall, but I know of him from my time in the Ring. You don't trust someone who trains dogs to fight. You simply just don't. Anyone that can teach such a gentle creature to be pure evil and flesh-hungry doesn't seem like the kind of person I'd want to have my back in the arena.

Then again, it's not like I have a lot of potential allies breaking down my door to work with me. Then again, I always like to take a gamble, so maybe someone will take a chance on me.

We pose and have little interactions with the paparazzi, and then other trains start to arrive behind us, so we exit the platform. Walking up to the Justice building is intimidating. The building is the biggest thing I've ever seen in my life. I didn't even know people could build things that high. Walking towards it makes me feel small, or smaller than usual, and I come to the sudden realization that if thing fell I would completely die.

It's funny that this building is more scary to me than the actual games itself. Maybe that's the reason why I suck at gambling so much. I can never see the bigger picture. The thrill comes from the moment, not from the actual act of gambling itself.

"Welcome District 10 to the Training Academy here in the Capitol!" says a weird lady with two buns on her head. Her skin is a classy looking shade of Red, almost orange, and her hair is bright blue. She has the whitest teeth I've ever seen, and she is wearing more rhinestones than I've ever thought possible. "We are excited that you are here with us to venture into the Games. We hope that your stay here is everything you've wanted and more. My name is Tesla, and I'll be your helper for the time that you're in the Capitol." she says.

I begin to look around the room and then I jump out of my skin. Standing a few feet away from me at the reception desk is Tesla. How did she get over there so fast?! I turn back to the elevator and Tesla is standing there smiling at me.

"Hi, Kira. The first thing to know is that I'm not actually real. I'm a computer AI that also serves as security and employee for the academy. My job is to make you happy. If you ever need me just call out my name. Now tell me to go away."

"Uh," I say confused. "Okay, go away." In a literal blink of an eye, Tesla vanishes before me. My eyes bulge out, and once again I back into Pike who is sharing a similar reaction to me. "Tesla where-"

"Hey!" says Tesla popping up again smiling wide. "What can I do for you, Kira?"

"Holy shit," says Pike staring at her. He reaches out his hand and touches Tesla's face. I think he was expecting his hand to pass through her, but instead of passing through her his hand touches solid skin. Or at least it looks like skin. He jumps back, and I let out a small yelp. Tesla just stands there and smiles.

"I'd rather you not touch my face, Pike," she says with a wink. "A girl has to keep some secrets. But enough about me, now that you're acquainted with how things work around here let's see your penthouse suite. Shall we?"

She leads us to the elevator, and she blinks her eyes hard. The button for the up switch lights up, and moments later we have an elevator door opening up to us. Pike, myself, and our escort step onto the elevator, but Tesla stays on the lobby floor. "This version of me is programmed only for the Lobby. I will see you guys, or a version of me will see you guys in your room!"

The doors close and Pike reaches out and touches the number 10 on the elevator panel. We wait in an awkward silence as we go up the elevator, and then when the doors open my jaw hits the floor. Before me is a beautiful white room with big and modern looking furniture. There's a sofa that dips into the floor, and it's very long. It almost fills up the whole room.

"Hi!" says a now purple tinted Tesla. "Welcome to your room! I'll be here every step of the way to allow you the maximum comfort that you want. Ask for anything, and I am here to help! Just call out my name! Bye!" says Tesla as she disappears.

"I don't like it." says Pike.

"Same." I agree as I walk to the huge sofa and take a seat. My eyes begin to daze, and I know it's only a matter of minutes before I fall asleep from this emotional roller coaster of a day.

* * *

 **Chen Chu, 17**

 **District 11 Male**

* * *

I don't know if I like having all of this expensive stuff. Sure, it's nice at the moment, but I just keep thinking of home and how my family would love to see all of this. Maybe not my dad because it's not the soil in the ground or the back of his eyelids, but I do think my mother would enjoy herself.

The first thing I did when I got here was walk straight towards the shower in my bedroom. It's about the size of my house if I cut my house in half. Which, I don't have a big house back home, to begin with, so that should say something.

My favorite setting was a button that shoots bubbles out of the ceiling and releases a music player that plays the top 100 songs that are "trending," whatever that means, in the Capitol. In a city that is so advanced, it surprises me how frivolous they are. But for the sake of bubbles, I'm down for it.

Hyssop has been very distant from everyone. I'm not going to lie to you. The girl freaked me the hell out with her little stunt in the reaping. Mostly because in three days time I'll be in the game, and even though it's technically four days, I can't help but look at this like a foreshadow. I honestly go a bit out of my way to avoid her. I don't see her little stunt as providing any security to any other tribute. If anything I see it as making her more of a liability than an asset.

A knock at the door pulls my from my thoughts and hammers me back into reality. I jump a little bit, but then I quickly jump up and move across the room to see who it is. Upon opening the door, I see Hyssop standing there smiling. She is holding something in her hand.

"Hi," she says brightly as she pushes past me and just enters the room. "I hope I'm not intruding. However, I needed to talk to you about some things, and I just didn't know how to bring them up on the train ride. Here I am now though. Again, hope you don't mind." she says repeating herself as she takes a seat at the vanity that I have in my room. She crosses her legs and sits sideways on the vanity giving me a blank stare. "Do close the door," she says.

I close the door reluctantly and instantly wish that I hadn't. I have the strange feeling that I'm going to end up as a witch sacrifice now, but that could also just be my paranoia. Good news is, the likelihood of me making it through the games is like, what, 5%? At least this way I'll have a story with my death.

"So what's up?" I ask awkwardly as I cross over to my bed and take a seat. She straightens in the vanity and then decides she wants to move and passes to the loveseat stationed at the end of my bed. She puts her feet on my bed, and I can see her black toenail polish is chipped.

"You can stop freaking out like I'm going to hurt you," she says with a chuckle. "I'm not like that."

"What?" I ask trying to play off my fear. "I'm not scared."

"Chen, you flinched upon me entering your room," she says very bluntly. Damn my face for giving me away too much. "I come in peace. I actually usually come in peace."

"You could have fooled me with your little stunt at the reapings.' I say nervously. "It was a little freaky."

"I was trying to protect my friends from a backlash," I say. "We are peaceful people. But differences scare others. We try our hardest to keep our noses down and to avoid the public when we are in celebrations and what not, but honestly, how would you feel if you always had to hide something you were feeling?"

I can relate to that all too well. I think back to my time in the garden with my dad every day. Even though I hated that time with my dad, I loved my dad enough to hide that emotion. Every day for one whole hour. The same routine and situation. Same punishment for not taking it seriously the first time around.

I suppose my face gives away my internal thoughts because she nods. "So when I 'cast a spell' it was a chant I made up on the spot. Spells aren't all rhyming and saying weird words. I mean don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be surprised if some people in my religion use stuff like that. For me and my coven, however, we just use plants. We hope for rain. We are good people. We just see life a little differently."

I frown as I stare at her and shake my head. "I'm sorry that you have to go through that. I'm sure your friends are okay."

"It would be so much easier if you could talk to the people back home," says Hyssop admittedly. "I'm a terribly extraverted person. I don't see too many people honestly wanting to talk to me after what I did at the reaping. So I know I have no right to ask this, but could we like, hang out?"

"Yeah," I say without thinking. No deserves to die alone on their last few days of life. And for Hyssop and me, unfortunately, that's the only thing I can see happening. "What's in your hand?" I ask her as I see a small pouch tied with a ribbon.

"It's a blessing that I made for you," she says handing it to me. "Wear it on your neck. It's supposed to bring good luck. Tesla-"

"Yes?" says Tesla as she appears in my room. I jump, and Hyssop lets out a loud scream as Tesla just stands there smiling.

"No, like I wasn't calling you," Hyssop tells the computer woman. "I was explaining something,

"Oh," says Tesla as she disappears from my room and it's suddenly just Hyssop and me again.

"I don't like that," I say very honestly.

"I'm sorry," says Tesla's voice even though she's nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 **Carolina Marie, 12**

 **District 12 Female**

* * *

Adam is a truly pestilent human being. I can't-do anything without him interrupting and trying to make sure that I'm doing the right thing. Like I'm sorry dude, this is the Hunger Games, I didn't realize I brought a moral compass with me upon arrival.

Nonetheless, here I am trying to explore this building, and here he is following me. I even took the stairs in hopes that the idiot would be lazy and turn away, but no, unfortunately, I get the one seam kid from my District not left ineffective by lack of nourishment in his body. Lucky me.

"Where are you walking to anyway?" asks Adam as he follows me up the last flight of stairs in the academy.

"Well, if we are on the top floor, and there are still stairs," I ask him sarcastically. "Where do you think I'll end up?"

"There's no reason to be snarky." he says as we continue up the steps.

"There's no reason to follow me around like a lost puppy dog either, but you're doing that," I say bitterly. "You did it on the train. You did it when we first got here a couple of hours ago. You're doing it now. I need space dude."

"I don't trust you," he tells me bluntly. "You're a bad egg, and I think I'd owe it to your family to make sure you didn't do anything stupid that got yourself killed."

"You owe my family nothing," I say. "You've done enough."

"They said they were your family, Carolina. I can't keep apologizing for something I didn't even mean to do."

"No, but you also don't have to continue inserting yourself on me either." I snap back. "So leave me alone, or you'll regret it."

I have so many ways that I can mess with this boy it's unreal. It is very apparent that I'm able to think circles around him. But he's messing up my main plan that I've been working up since I got onto the train.

I'm hoping that another tribute will walk up to the roof tonight. They'll see me, an innocent twelve-year-old, sitting there crying my eyes out over not wanting to die. Depending on who, or what kind of personality this person has, it's an instant alliance. It's also one less person that would go for me in the bloodbath.

But freaking Adam is jeopardizing it all.

I stop at the last step before you get to the door and turn to him. He looks a bit nervous and braces himself on the step and grabs onto the rail. Someone is coming from the lower stairwell. I hear them talking. It's a male and female. If I can't get my allies my original way, then I guess this new way will have to do.

"Adam! No!" I scream as I slam my head onto the rail. I may have overestimated how hard I needed actually to hit myself. I only needed to leave a bump, but I feel a red sticky liquid pouring out on my forehead. I run down to the bottom of the stairs and begin to kick the railings as I do so. I hear the people that were walking on the stairs start to make their way quickly to the one that Adam and I are on.

When I reach the bottom flight, I try to lay in a position that shows I just fell down the stairs but decided that the best way to do so is to just curl up in a fetal position. Adam looks dumbfounded from the top step as a girl, and a boy appear at my side only a few moments later.

"What the hell happened?!" says the boy as he reaches down and lifts my head onto his lap. "Rhea! Is this right?! Should we go get help?!"

"Jute I deliver babies. I'm not a doctor! But yes, oh wait, TESLA!" screams the girl named Rhea.

"Hi!" says Tesla as she appears on the stairwell. I get an instant nervous feeling in my stomach from remembering that this thing probably recorded me throwing myself down. "What can I do for you?" she asks calmly.

"Can you get a medic?!" asks the boy named Jute.

"On it!" says Tesla with a smile as she disappears.

The two stare at Adam who hasn't moved an inch since the event happened. Rhea looks back at me and starts to grab and squeeze my hand. "What happened sweetheart?"

I look up at her trying to look completely hurt, which isn't too hard because my head has a migraine from hell at this point. "He said that he might as well just kill me now since I'll die in the bloodbath," I say as I point up to Adam. "So he pushed me down the stairs. I hit my head on the railing."

"What?!" asks the big idiot as he finally snaps back into reality. "No, I didn't!"

"What she just threw herself down the stairs then?!" asks Jute with an angry look. "Don't worry..uh,"

"Carolina," I say

"Yeah, don't worry Carolina. We will vouch for what happened."

Right as Adam is about to respond the doors to the 12th-floor staircase bust open and a bunch of medics runs onto the scene. They are lifting me onto a stretcher, and I play up this whole hurt and in distress vibe. I leave Adam to be chewed out by Rhea and Jute while I'm whisked away into our District 12 suite for observation.

 **Yikes, this took a little longer than I wanted, but I've pretty much been writing a POV a day since my last update. So now we are onto the training chapters! This is so exciting no?! I'll be continuing with my six pov narratives, and everyone will have another POV before the bloodbath. I hope that this chapter didn't disappoint!**

 **I've gotten the check-ins for the following characters: Eliza, Kyper, Hindi, Alia, Alina, Abigail, Kegn, Jute, Pike, Hyssop, Chen, and Carolina (I think).**

 **If I missed you let me know.**

 **Now, something that has been bothering me recently is my real lack of motivation to sit and knock these out. Most of my motivation is coming from wanting to get onto my next series for this site called Reign. It's inspiring coming up with such a fun new plot line because I thought I peaked after this story. However, going from 23 reviews per chapter to barely hit nine is getting a little hard to take in and continue. I'm not that this story won't get finished. I've worked way to dang hard getting all of this to flow and connect. But I just wanted to be honest with you guys.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	20. Training Day 1

**I'm kind of nervous we are actually on Training Days.**

 **It seems like this story would never really make it very far, but classes have been surprisingly light throughout the semester so far. And they will continue to be**

 **So without further ado, I give you the first training day.**

* * *

 _The wind picks up_

 _The waters all rise_

 _When life hits you this hard_

 _You suddenly realize_

 _That everything must come to an end_

 _Some people just push the boundaries and fall over the edge_

* * *

 **Jute Farman, 15**

 **District 8 Male**

* * *

After Carolina was taken away on the stretcher, Tesla (who was now dawned in a red shade that really made her hair pop), appeared to us in a security uniform. She was still her smiling and chipper self as she was listening to the events of what happened, and then casually explained how there is no camera in the stairwell.

Adam, the boy who pushed a twelve-year-old down the stairs, will be awaiting trial with the Gamemakers to decide what punishment he will get for his actions. I hope they blow his mine up before the bloodbath even starts. That would show him for picking on a twelve-year-old.

I woke up this morning with a black jumpsuit at the end of my bed. On the right corner of the jacket there was a giant 10 on it. The material was made with a silk like substance that was soft, but I don't know if I appreciate the material and what it looks like for what is about to go down today.

Who wants to sweat in silk?

"Are you nervous?" asks Rhea as she pushes the down button on the elevator. The elevator is now on District 11, so I can't imagine it would take to long to get to the 8th floor.

"I'm not _not_ nervous." I say as the elevator stops at District 9's floor. "I'm just planning on fading into the background today." I say honestly. "If I'm not noticed by people I feel that would make me forgettable, and I just might get through the bloodbath."

"That was my plan too." says Rhea as the elevator dings to let us know of its arrival. The door opens and we are staring at the entirety of the lower Districts as we step onto the elevator. We are the last two that would fit on the shaft though, so when the door opens on District 7's floor a few minutes later, there was that awkward staring at each other as the door closed and they walked towards the staircase.

When we finally arrived downstairs the Tesla's were everywhere in the building. They were running around trying to make sure that something was ready with someone. I couldn't exactly make out who it was they're gearing up for, but I know they must be big from the amount of work these AI's are having to put in.

In the sea of Tesla's I see a man with a long black beard frivolously typing at a computer. He keeps looking at the Tesla's to make sure that they're doing what they need them to do as his fingers seem to move at eighty miles per second across the keyboard.

"What do you think he's doing?" whispers a girl with a 10 on her training jacket.

"He's telling us what to do!" says a Tesla as she runs by in a hurry. "We are getting a VIP visitor today! So Tesla services will be down for the next hour or so."

"What a bummer." says the boy from 11 sarcastically. "That lady gives me the creeps."

For a few seconds we are all chuckling and we were just a group of kids that were awkwardly walking down a hallway. Like starting the first day of school. You almost wouldn't be able to tell that in just a few short days we'd be embarking on a journey where only one of us would still be alive.

We walk into the big gymnasium and we are faced with a bunch of different stations that would suit us in the Hunger Games. I notice that there are a lot more water activities from years past with a quick look around. Tesla, now sporting a bright orange color, is at every station. Her smile is replaced, however, and in its place is now a fierce scold. She looks like she is ready to go into war.

"Hello tributes," says a woman in a black cloak. She is not a Tesla, and she is very fierce in both looks and stance. "My name is Ivanna Cuscar. I'm the head trainer here in the Capitol. Over the course of the next few days you will learn about survival skills and techniques that will get you through the course of the games." she pauses and looks us up and down, and pauses specifically on the Careers. "Don't ignore survival because you think you're hot shit. You could die of hypothermia or dehydration just as a blade."

The girl from 4 nods her head in agreement, but the rest of the Careers look unphased by her statement.

"This year we will be scoring you a little different from we have in years past. Rather than having a private session, we've decided to have a point system. In the games you won't have the perfect situation. Private sessions are a false evaluation in standards of having to think on your feet. We as the trainers, or me rather, would like to see how you interact with people as well. Because that plays just as big a part of your time in the games than how well you can stab or shoot someone. Tesla will keep a point marker at each station you go too."

"Yes mam!" they all say in unison.

"Me and my associate, Olivia, will watch your interactions with people. We will give you a base scoring at the end of the training days, as well as ideas on how to better help you in the arena.. Good luck tributes, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

* * *

 **Abigail Evolieon, 12**

 **District 7 Female**

* * *

Kegn and I decided to stick together throughout the trainings. I can't help but feel really thankful for him because as much as I want to cry, he always has a way of cheering me up. There's been a lot to process, but with him helping me the games don't seem as scary. It's nice to hold somebody's hand when you're walking into the dark.

"So where are we off to first?" he asks me staring at the other tributes beginning to scatter. I pause as I look between each of the tributes, and I must have ruffled my eyebrows a bit to hard, because Kegn ends up waving his hand in my face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah!" I say trying to compose my face. "This has just been a bit overwhelming is all. I don't want to go somewhere a lot of people are." I say as I scan the room. I see a small girl with a bandage on her head. She looks to be about my age, and that's about as promising as you can hope for in the Hunger Games. "Hey, let's go over there." I say not even fully knowing what the station is.

When we arrive at the station I find out that it is plant survival. I look at the plants, a little surprised, they're like nothing I've ever seen before. They're string like, and they look to be rough as sand as the girl continues to run her fingers along them. When she sees me she gives me a half-smile and continues to run her hands on them.

"They said it's something weird called dried seaweed." she says. "Apparently it grows in the ocean, and lives in the water. District 4 would probably know more about it. Tesla has encouraged me to 'explore for myself.'" she says with quotation marks around the sentence.

"That's not nice to mock someone, Maggot!" says Tesla with an angry look on her face.

"It's not very nice to call someone maggot either." I retort back a little surprised that the once so customer oriented AI is now being so rude.

"I know." she says with a smile. "They have me in military mode now. I really just like getting into character." she says as her face reverts back to how it was at the start of the training. "Do you call that figuring out seaweed?!" she screams. "Don't worry, though." she adds with a smile. "The other Tesla's are not as mean as me. Some are actually still programmed to be nice...For you weak little maggots who can't take a critique!"

"Let's get out of here." says the girl with the head bandage on.

She gets up from the station and walks to the center of the room, and Kegn and I follow. The boy from her District awkwardly just sits at a table as he stares down the girl. There is a look of anger, but also fear in his eyes as he watches us begin to converse.

"My name is Carolina." she says with a smile. "It's nice to meet you."

"Abigail." I say extending my hand. This girl is really sweet. I really lucked out that there is not only someone my age, but also another girl who seems to have a good heart. "This is my District partner, Kegn."

"It's so nice to meet you!" she says. "I was scared that no one would talk to me due to the head thing. It isn't exactly the most becoming look for a young lady to have," she jests as she flips her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, how'd that happen?" asks Kegn. I can tell that it was something that he's been intrigued to ask but wasn't sure how to bring it up. I don't know if that's the best way to do so, but it's not my mannerisms.

"Uh," she says as she gives an awkward glance to her District partner. "My District partner pushed me down a flight of stairs last night." she says quietly. She looks down on the ground almost like she's ashamed, and my jaw drops. I bring her into a hug and shoot a glare over at the boy sitting at the table. His face contorts into a surprised expression as I glare at him.

"You poor thing!" I say. "Don't worry. You won't have to deal with him anymore. Why don't you come and have a sleepover at my room tonight?" I say. "You must be terribly frightened having to stay in a living situation with such a monster."

"I don't know," says the girl lightly. "I wouldn't want to impose.

"Nonsense!" I say. "Right, Kegn? It would be so much fun! And let's be honest...we need a bit of fun during this time."

"Yeah, I think it'll be fun."

"Cool." she says with a smile. "Then I will pack my bag and come see you tonight! This is going to be like we're home!" she says as she smiles at me broadly. "And it'll be nice to know that you can lock the floor down to where people can't get off of it tonight. That way Adam can't get me."

* * *

 **Alia Sennett, 18**

 **District 4 Female**

* * *

This is honestly going just about as well as I expected when I initially saw their reapings. The two tributes from District 2 are constantly fighting over the pettiest of things. I swear if I hear the phrases "honey" or "oh no boo, what are you doing?" again I might actually kill one of them pre-games.

The pair from District 1 is constantly just really quiet. The girl gives me some strange vibes, but the boy especially gives me a weird feeling. He strikes me as the kind to take charge, but he's almost seeming to be calculating something, and that's a huge difference from the normal District 1 tribute that just thinks they're pretty and can own the games.

"So what's our main strategy here?" asks Aeron as he looks around at the group. We've sat in an awkward silence, and this doesn't seem to be as strong of a pack as in years past.

"Can I be honest?" says the girl from 1 as she looks around at the group. "I'm fine with a no kill until the last 6 deal with you guys, but I'm really better off working alone."

"Yeah," says the girl from District 2. "I don't really want to be around you guys either. You're all awkward, and if I don't have to be on a team with this idiot," she says pointing at her District partner. "It will make it exceptionally easier to bust his ass in the bloodbath. Now if you all don't mind, I'm stepping out."

She walks away and I turn to Aeron who has a wide-eyed expression on his face. This is not how I imagined my first day of training going. Day 1 and I'm already down two alliance members, and the ones that I seem to be left with are completely inept at first glance.

"So are we down with the no kill thing? At least with us 5?" the girl from District 1 asks giving a slight glance to the girl from 2 who is now joyfully swinging a sword at the dummy in front of her. Every once in a while she glances over to her District partner and points the sword at him and winks. "Like I know that she is all for killing him," she says apologetically to the boy from 2. "But I just don't like large groups."

"No, I'm fine with that." I say. "Good luck, District 1."

"My name is Eliza." she says. "Good luck," she trails off waiting for me to say my name.

"Alia." I say.

"Well good luck, Alia."

She turns and walks away from the group and ends up at the plant section where she looks quizzically at the plants on the ground. The girl and boy pair from District 9 are there, and I notice them both stiffen a bit at the sight of Eliza.

"Well we don't need them anyway," says the boy from District 2. "We have me. I'm the baddest bitch up in this place, and if anyone has anything else to say about it they can answer to me. Not that they'll get very far."

"Can I talk to you for a minute." says Aeron as he places his hand on my arm. I nod and follow him as he leads me to a pair of tables on the opposite end of the room. There are no other tributes around, and he gives me a concerned look. "We cannot work with just them. This is a literal disaster. Like worst case scenario. Their District Partners were the sane ones." he says.

"Yeah, no, I've noticed that as well." I say cautiously. "So what do we just not work with them?"

"We can't allow them to know we won't be working with them." says Aeron, "When the bloodbath comes we will just disappear. Or we wait it out and then take their supplies and never come back."

"I like the second option better." I say. "That way we can get a couple of goodies before we venture off into the unknown. I'm a little comforted because there's a lot of plants from home. It's almost like we have a home turf advantage."

"This is the Hunger Games." says Aeron. "Don't get comfortable. The second you do everything goes straight to hell."

I'm glad he said that, because it's definitely something that I have to take into consideration when it comes to myself. I know that I'm capable and I know that I'm strong, but the Hunger Games is also a lot of luck.

"Alright, let's head back to the group." says Aeron with a bit of a sad look in his eyes.

We stand up from the table, and I feel my knee begin to pop. It takes a lot in me to not let out a cry of pain, but a wince was inevitable as I kept moving at his pace.

"You okay?" asks Aeron concerned.

"Yeah, I slept on my neck wrong last night." I say quickly. "I've been sore all day and I think I just got up too quickly."

"Alright, well, I might need some pain relievers later too." he says. "If I have to listen to the boy from District 2 all day talk about how awesome he is I'm going to have a massive migraine."

"You always have Epiphany," I say with a light chuckle as he turns and glares at me.

"I never thought I'd say this, like ever, but I never want to have sex again." he says as he turns forward and I can't help but let out a hearty laugh.

* * *

 **Zea Demeters, 16**

 **District 9 Female**

* * *

She left as quickly as she came. Her long brown hair was flowing behind her as she walked, and she stopped and looked at each plant individually. She asked a few questions to the Tesla, and then left. Her voice sounded as if it was kissed by an angel upon birth.

"Are you okay?" Charon asks me as he looks at me.

I snap back into reality and look around. The Tesla is awkwardly staring at me, and Charon is holding some weird plant called kelp. I realize I hadn't looked away from the spot she was previously at and immediately became embarrassed.

"Gay boy I'm confused." I say softly as I sit on the floor and look up at the ceiling.

"I told you I'd rather just go by Charon." he says with an exasperated tone as he sits down next to me and sets the kelp back on the floor.

"Shh," I say to him. "We are talking about me now, remember? I'm in turmoil." I say as I look at him to see an amused face staring back at me. "This is no laughing matter, Charon. I'm scared." And the truth is I wouldn't call it scared. I'd call it terrified. "I just had a weird feeling I've never experienced before."

"Like what?" he asks looking from side to side confused. "Like do you need to go to the bathroom?"

"Don't antagonize me, sir." I reply with a wave of my hand dismissing his first comment. "However, I want to say no. My bowels are in perfect condition at the moment. It was weird." I touch my stomach. "I literally felt my stomach drop to my feet, and I forgot how to talk for a minute."

"Damn, you need to get this feeling more often." says Charon laughing. "Sounds to me like someone maybe has a crush?"

"On who? You? As if, my little boy liking friend."

"Well the only other person that's been here is the District 1 girl- oh my gosh!" he says as he looks at me with a slack jaw. "I cannot deal with this! This is so cute in a hopeless, sad, never going to happen kind of way! I knew there was something I related to you about!"

"I have a crush on the District 1 girl?" I ask confused. "That doesn't make sense. I've never even talked to her before, Charon." I say slowly. "How do you like someone without talking to them?"

"You don't have to know someone to be attracted to them. And it seems to me she gets your motor running because you looked all 'dear in the headlights oh snap what is oxygen?!' type look going on."

I stare at the Tesla who has continued to awkwardly stare at me. I wish she would stop, but I'm sure she is just another mechanism of which the Capitol will use to torment me during the games. All of this couldn't really have come at a worse time. I promised myself I would never like anyone ever. Not after what happened.

I turn and look over at the girl from 1 who is now at the spear section. She takes a spear and lodges it into the head of a dummy with speed and swiftness. Her aim is impeccable, and her coordination is on a different level.

"Oh my gosh," I say slowly. "I like the District 1 girl."

"Her name is Eliza." says Tesla slowly.

Both Charon and I jump. We look at the Tesla who continues to smile at me with an awkward intensity. We look back at each other and she begins to laugh. "I am programmed to discover human like qualities. The longer I'm activated the more I learn."

"So you're picking up social cues?" asks Charon with a sudden interest in his eye.

"Precisely. If you want, after training, I can send my counter Tesla up to your room and she can bring Eliza's file with her. It'll give you all the information that we know about her."

"I mean, that's promising." says Charon looking back at me. "Maybe you can form an alliance? I don't know her, and she doesn't set off any alarms on my gaydar, but maybe she floats your boat if you catch what I'm laying down?"

"Oh my gosh." I say overwhelmed. "This is moving too fast."

"So no file?" asks Tesla trying to understand.

"No, bring the file." I say. "I want to know more about her."

 **So I was thinking of what I wanted to type for the next two paragraphs, and then I realized that I really set this chapter up really well. This was probably some of the best development of this story. There's nothing to add here. Don't worry, I'll tie up loose ends. But this is this chapter. Sorry it's so late. I'm still here.**

 **I'm doing interviews differently this time. Also private sessions. Also, just in general I'm going to do things how I want because that's just me anyway right?**

 **Also, don't laugh at me. I depend on grammarly af and it stopped working today for some reason?! So I had to use some sketchy as hell weird site. So oops if this is bad.**

 **Lol well again, I hope this doesn't suck.**

 **Alliance Update (Some of these are implied from trains)**

 **Stoic Ariel and Eric the Hoe: Aeron/Alia**

 **Cuties, but also like they have Satan: Carolina/Abigail/Kegn**

 **Politically Correct...Kind of: Charon/Zea/Tesla?**

 **Fabulous and Single (Officially): Eliza/Maisla/Adam**

 **Nerdz United: Hindi/Lexus**

 **It all started with Vinegar Tits: Talia/Cartier**

 **Welp, let me know.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	21. Training Day 2

_From falling over the edge_

 _To a giant free fall_

 _A crash landing is sometimes all you can do_

* * *

 **Adam Ashford, 18**

 **District 12 Male**

* * *

"All rise for the honorable Judge Horace Eldredge and Head Gamemaker in this year's Hunger Games Latricia Everette."

Two very official looking people step into the room. Each of them dawning the same black robe with the menacing looking tassel on each side, and a giant white wig that seems as tall as the ceiling. Their faces are covered in a white powder and blush is splattered across both of their cheeks to add some color to their ghostly looking face.

Latricia, who's wrinkled have wrinkles, is the first to sit down as Horace stays standing as he gets to his podium to address the court. I realize that as I look upon the face of my judge and jury, he does not seem sympathetic.

"Don't worry," whispers Tesla from next to me. Tesla is serving as my lawyer as I go through this trial. I'm not sure how I feel about her doing that. "We have a lot of stuff to work in our favor."

"Like what?" I ask with a confused but hopeful expression.

"Oh, we don't actually," she says. "I'm programmed to make humans feel better in any situation. You're probably going to be severely punished," she says nonchalantly, but with the same chipper smile, she always dawns except when we are in training.

"Mr. Ashford, you stand on trial today for the attempted murder of Carolina Marie, your district partner, before the start of the games. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," I say with an eye roll.

"Maybe not the best move, you know?" says Tesla as she wrinkles her nose in disapproval. "You're probably already going to eat this trial. Best not to piss off the judge."

"Tesla," says the Judge as he stares at me with a disapproving look. "Is there any cameras that are in the stairwell to get to the roof?"

The AI pauses the subtle movements that she does and stares off into a trance. She blinks every once and awhile, but then suddenly comes back to life, her smile returning to her face. She looks up at Horace, and with a confident remark she says, "No, there isn't!"

"And how sure are you that Mr. Ashford is telling the truth, and Ms. Marie did indeed push herself down the stairs?" the way that he asks that question makes me think that Horace Eldredge already has his mind made up. Something is telling me that this trial is only a formality.

Again, the AI pauses and stares off into space. I'm not sure what she's doing when she does this. Maybe she's thinking? Perhaps she's calculating? The only thing I know for sure: it's creepy as hell.

"Well, the truth is, after many calculations and running the stats in my head," says Tesla matter of factly, still having that blank stare on her face. "Is that no matter how many times I run the numbers the facts are always coming back with the same numbers. The truth is Adam very well could be lying, but Adam could also very well be telling us the truth. I'd like nothing more than for my client to be cleared, but at the same time, I would not. I wouldn't want to believe that a twelve-year-old is capable of that kind of manipulation."

She changes her face from the blank stare back into the smiling, chipper, standard version of herself and smiles at the judge. "But that's just my opinion. I'm sure if you decided to do that calculation yourself you could find some loophole or maybe some understanding that I can't compute as a simple AI."

"And in your opinion, Tesla," says Latricia as she speaks for the first time. "Do you think that it is fair to judge young Adam based off of a simple accusation? Or are we being fair and just as far as what we are doing to go about it?"

"You always investigate something," says Tesla matter of factly. "You always make sure that the information you're given is the facts of the situation. At least to the best of your abilities. In this case, since there are no definitive facts other than a young girl was found at the bottom of the stairs, we aren't able to make a conclusive investigation." the AI says

"I will say," she continues, "That upon further examining Carolina, there was no fingerprints of Adam's on her body. Adam retains no scratch marks from this moment either. She seems to have no signs of a struggle, but that could also be signs that Adam came from behind her. There are too many non-conclusions that make this trial faulty."

"Well, then I think it's fair that we take it out on both of them," says Latricia. "Adam, by the power invested in my by the great country of Panem, I at this moment sentence you to an extra 5 seconds on your podium at the bloodbath. You will have to sit there and wait while the other tributes run and get supplies. Carolina will get 5 dollars off whatever amount of sponsor money that she receives."

"I object!" I growl.

"You can't do that," says Tesla a little apologetically. "I, however, can," she says as she stares at me.

"It's not fair that I have to wait five extra seconds on the podium and she only gets 5 dollars off her sponsors! I could end up dead!"

"And that's the name of the game, isn't it? Truth be told I'm not sure that you're as innocent as you say you are. Horace do you agree?" asks Latricia

"I do," he says.

"Very well, that's the case. Our word is law." says the Head Gamemaker as she gets up and walks out of the room.

* * *

 **Kellar Fairbairn, 15**

 **District 5 Male**

* * *

Her icy blonde hair was the first thing I noticed as Alexandra Rabbel stepped into the training room. She didn't smile, I actually don't think it's possible for her to smile at this point, but just stares blankly at the tributes as we work on our training.

"She was supposed to be here yesterday," says a Tesla at my station. She sounds a bit annoyed, which throws me off because she's an AI. "We had everything ready only to get a call from her assistant telling us that she decided to come tomorrow instead."

I'm not exactly sure how these point systems are playing out. Most of the tributes don't exactly go to the stations but gather around them in deep conversation. Everyone is trying to feel the other out, and Alina and I have yet to be approached.

"There's a peculiar aura in here," says Alina as she stares around the room trying to find the source. "I don't want to say it's the president, but there wasn't this aura in here yesterday," she whispers very softly next to me. I almost couldn't hear her. "It's dark and twisty."

"Did you say something about an aura?" asks the girl from District 11.

She made me jump, not because she's particularly scary, but because I didn't even hear her walk up. Her District partner is trotting behind her looking a bit nervous as she approaches Alina and I. He continues to move his hands a lot as she talks.

"My name is Hyssop," she says. "This is my partner Chen. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help overhearing you speak of aura? That's something I take super personally, and I just wanted to let you know I feel it too."

"I knew I wasn't crazy!" says Alina as she stares at her and extends her hand. "My name is Alina, and this is my partner Kellar."

"Nice to meet you," I say extending my hand to the girl. She gladly takes it and smiles at both Alina and me.

"I'm delighted I haven't scared you off. I felt like no one would talk to me after my dramatic scene at the reaping. They just made me so mad! It wasn't even a real spell. That double, trouble, toil, and bubble stuff isn't even how witchcraft is." she pauses and then looks at Chen and shrugs. "Well, I don't want to say that. For some branches, it is according to my book. But my branch is very earth related."

"I mean I'm not exactly not scared off," I say quite honestly staring at her. "However, there isn't a lot of people knocking down our door. So if you're interested, I think that it could be in our best interest to become a team...if that's something that would interest you."

A bright smile appears on the girl's face. She turns to her partner who has an equally broad grin as they turn back together saying in almost unison, "We're in!"

Alina turns to me and smiles and then looks around the room to survey the other tributes. She studies the groups and what is going on by how they're talking to each other and finally turns back to us. "I think other than the busted career pack we are the biggest alliance. Which means that we are going to have to work extra hard not to get noticed as an alliance. We don't want to go down in the bloodbath because people are intimidated by the size."

"I'm hoping the careers take each other out in the bloodbath," says Chen as he rolls his eyes. His twitch is now gone, and it's replaced with quick movements of his fingers. "I walked by the girl and boy from 2, and they continue just to bicker. They're the only two that scare me other than the girl from 1. So I hope that they get each other out."

We all crack an awkward smile because the truth is we aren't quite sure what to make of each other yet. I like the idea of having a team in the sense that I don't have to be just faster than Alina now, but I have two other options which are hopefully slower than they appear. I just hope that I can make it decently far and stand somewhat of a chance. Desi has been extremely disappointed in our performance throughout the training so far. She keeps coming and staring in the window and rolling her eyes. We will probably hear it when we get back to the room.

"So where do we start first?" asks Hyssop.

"Tesla?" asks Alina.

The woman-like AI appears right next to her with a smile. "Yes?"

"They got the fact we allied in the point system right?" she asks hopefully with an awkward smile.

"They do now," says Tesla nodding with a grin. "Bye!"

* * *

 **Talia Maglev, 17**

 **District 6 Female**

* * *

Cartier and I have gotten close since our time on the trains. I've enjoyed getting to know him, and I hope that we can continue to be friends throughout our time here. It's nice to have someone from home. Someone who gets it. I think that's one of the reasons a District Partner is so vital to the tributes we've seen compete in the past. I never understood how you could grow attached to someone so quickly.

I get it now.

"Hello tributes," says the President with an altered smile. "My name is Alexandra Rabbel, but you know that already," she says with a cocky smile. "I have some things to do today, but I put them all on hold to come check out the tributes for this year's games personally. I want to know what to expect when you get into the arena. Now is the time to impress me. After this point, very few of you will hear me talk. That's because you probably don't impress me enough to get a reaction out of me. Go and do training." she says raising her arms in the air and ushering us away.

"Oh my gosh she's worse than Vinegar Tits," I whisper to Cartier who lets out a hearty laugh. "Seriously who the hell made this woman?"

If there's one thing I cannot stand is people with a superiority complex. So you conquered the Capitol. Big whoopdefreakingdo deal. Like who honestly has the time in their life to sit there and make a big elaborate takeover plan? Ring, ring, ring. The life police called, you're in serious need of your own because you've stolen someone else.

"What are you thinking about?" asks Cartier as we begin to flimsily and "unimpressively" throwing knives towards the dummies. "You have that look where you're lost in your head. And that's never a good look when you're named Talia."

"I just don't appreciate being talked to in that way. So you're some big shot now that you've mostly taken over the country? Cool, proud of you. Don't talk to us like we are the bugs beneath your feet. Between you and me," I lower my voice to a whisper. "I've heard that Katherine Farrow is going to make a comeback. I wasn't the biggest fan of her either, but at least she wanted to end these God forsaken games."

"I'd watch what you say when the President is in the room," says Cartier looking nervous. "I don't want you to end up a bloodbath tribute just because you can't control your mouth."

"Cartier the likelihood of me winning this thing is absolutely a hundred and fifty percent a zero. There is no way I'm taking this over one of the careers."

"Careers don't always win," he says as he throws a knife and hits the dummy straight on. "If I recall our most recent victors have all been from D5 or other outer Districts."

"But because of that, I feel they think they have something to prove now," I say, and the truth is they should. They should be embarrassed that their years of training didn't pay off enough to win what they've wanted their whole lives. Their trainers should be embarrassed that they always worked these little brats until their fingers fell off only to watch some of them fall in the bloodbath.

 _In the bloodbath._

"Well, I guess you could have argued that for every year," says Cartier nonchalantly. "But let's look at some of the facts here. The careers are separated. You get along with your District partner. You have a lot of spunk and charisma, and even if we don't find allies, we won't be alone in the games."

He's right. I know he's right, and that's honestly why I'm getting worked up right now. Nothing he's saying is outlandish. However, I don't like being wrong usually, and I certainly don't want being forced to have any hope when I feel it's a hopeless situation.

"Keep those comments to yourself," I say sadly throwing the knife to watch it completely miss the dummy. "I just can't think like that. I can't afford to have that little sliver of hope even." I say. "It'll hurt too bad in the last moments as I watch everything slip away already. I don't need to feel like a failure as well."

"Talia, anything can happen in this game," he says certainly. "This is a wild game of survival, but it's not an impossible game to win. You just have to be prepared."

"I don't think I can be prepared," I say.

"Well then I'll be prepared for both of us," he says smiling. "There's a lot to be done now, and ice woman is walking towards us, and I don't want to talk to her. Let's get moving."

Sure enough, the Alexandra Rabbel is making her way towards the knife station, but I tilt my head to the right and see the boy from District 1 there. He seems to be working hard over at the spears.

* * *

 **Luxulo Kingsmark, 18**

 **District 1 Male**

* * *

Alexandra Rabbel appears in front of me right as a spear that I just launched landed in the spears belly. She begins to clap as she sizes me up and down lightly. She extends her hand as she smiles towards me.

"District 1 male, Luxulo Kingsmark. I've heard a lot about you from your trainers and other prominent members of the District 1 social classes. They expect great things from you in this year's games."

"Well, I appreciate that," I said. "I worked twice as hard as any of the other kids in the academy. So I appreciate that I'm getting the recognition I worked so hard for."

She picks up a spear herself and begins to twirl it in between her fingers. "You have a lot of cockiness about you. I can see it as if it's floating around your head. You need to be careful of that, Luxulo. Cockiness is the number one failure of the careers in this game. You think that you can do it all? Odds are something that you can't do is going to be in the games."

"Isn't that why we have the pack?" I ask

"Doesn't look like much of a pack to me," she says gesturing around the room.

She's right. The District 4 pair, who I might be underestimating as far as competitors, are over at the trident sections. Kyper, who I'll honestly be surprised if he makes the top 10, is over at the lunch tables just sitting and watching everyone. A look of superiority is dawned on his face, and he looks exceptionally stuck up today.

"I doubt you guys last even a quarter of the games together. I suspect you'll be there for the bloodbath, but after that, it's game over. So what are you going to do then, Luxulo? What's the plan now? Because if they speak as highly of you as you deserve you'd already have thought of this."

She places the spears down and then walks away. She walks to the exit of the training room and turns around. She raises a single eyebrow at me and then leaves the room. I quickly examine the place and look for Eliza. She is at the sword section practicing technique.

"Eliza," I say as I walk over to her and pick up a sword. "You need to join back with the careers. We are at a serious disadvantage, and if one of us needs to make it out this year, I think we all need to stick together."

Completely ignoring me, she continues to practice with the sword. I grab ahold of her arm and turn her towards me. "Are you listening to me?!" I ask her.

She drops her sword and places her other hand on my wrist, and squeezes it right at the bone. A sudden pain fills my body as I kneel to the ground and she gets on one knee to look at me. "That's a nice way to lose your hand," she says with a fake smile. "And rest assured I have at least three different ways I can make it happen," she says finally letting go of her death grip on my wrist and standing up. "I already told you, I'm working alone. Deal with it and stay out of my way, or get in the way and die. It's a simple scenario, Luxulo." she says picking her sword back up and practicing again.

I quickly stand up and walk away from her. Hopefully, no one saw that. I don't want to have to deal with the repercussions of anyone else seeing me be taken down so smooth. I need to maintain authority and to show that I'm strong.

"Damn boy, she served you ugly and dirty," says Maisla from a bench near the swords. She's far enough away that I have to get up and walk towards her, but not to far to not have seen that humiliating scene.

"What do you want?" I ask annoyed rubbing my wrist as I take a seat next to her on the bench. "I'd ask you to join the group again, but I don't see Kyper and you getting along. I don't want to have to deal with that the whole games."

"Yeah," she says suddenly. "About that, I'm joining again. You need help, and the way I see it, it is my birthright to be in the career pack because I'm from District 2. I'm also the baddest bitch that's walked into this training academy probably ever, so you'll need me with you rather than against you. Especially if you're taken down by the gothic princess over there so easily." She says nudging her head towards Eliza who is still practicing the same technique. "Not to say she's bad or anything. The girl has a lot of skills. I just don't see her as the killing type."

"How are you expecting to get Kyper on board?" I ask curiously.

"Hey! Trick Ass Bitch!" screams Maisla from the bench. Kyper instinctively turns around and then looks mad at himself for doing so. "I'm joining the pack again. Your bitch ass and I can battle it out in the final 10."

"Fine. Stay out of my way until then," he says rolling his eyes. "But if you piss me off I'm going to stab you so hard. I'll enjoy counting down the tributes until the top 10."

"Yeah, yeah, you're so menacing," says Maisla with a handwave. "We've been getting scolded for not working together in the District 2 penthouse anyway. I'm tired of hearing all the complaining and moaning. I just want to get my crown and bounce the hell outta this place." she says.

"Well, then. Let's set these games on fire." I say. "I want one of the careers to take this home."

"Yes, let's."

 **Alliance Update**

 **Stoic Ariel and Eric the Hoe:** Alia/Aeron

 **Career Pack:** Luxulo/Kyper/Alia/Aeron/Maisla

 **Cuties, but they also have Satan:** Carolina/Abigail/Kegn

 **Politically Correct...Kind of?:** Zea/Charon/Tesla?

 **Fabulous and Single:** Adam/Eliza

 **Nerdz United:** Hindi and Lexus

 **It all started with Vinegar Tits:** Talia/Cartier

 **Aura 4:** Hyssop/Chen/Alina/Kellar

 **We are one chapter away from the bloodbath. I REPEAT: WE ARE ONE CHAPTER AWAY FROM THE BLOODBATH!**

 **The interviews and the scores will be the same chapter because remember there is no private sessions this year. Let me know what you think of the chapter, and review and all that jazz.**

 **Sorry, it's been so behind. Once people start dying, it will move faster. School is picking up BIG TIME.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	22. Interviews and Tribute Scores

**I'm not going to lie to you guys.**

 **I HATE,** **HATE,** _ **HATE**_ **interview chapters.**

 **I will not be showing all of the tributes interviews.**

 **I feel like I've done pretty well at spreading the love as I look around.**

 **Certain tributes will be getting a pov, and others will not.**

 **Training scores will be listed later. So don't freak out, and sorry if you have an issue with this.**

 **I just know that it's boring to write, and who reads the interview chapter with excitement and glee?**

* * *

 **Vivica Fo, 24**

 **MC for the Hunger Games Interview**

* * *

"Good evening, and welcome to the live broadcast of the interviews for this year's Hunger Games. I'm Vivica Fo, and tonight we have a jam-packed night! All week you've been watching these tributes battle it out for the top spot at the training point system. Tonight, all of their hard work gets rewarded, or not so rewarded, as we display the scores live right here! Only the Gamemaker Latricia Everette knows the scores. Throughout the night she will be revealing them one by one to me as I interview the tributes through this tiny microphone speaker in my ear." I say pointing to the device sticking out of my ear. "Who will end up on top? Who will sink their ships? And most importantly who do you think our Victor is? We hope to help you make those choices tonight, so let's get started!"

I walk from the center of the stage where the light was on me to the couches that are farther to the right. I take a seat in the bright red cushioned seat and flip my hair behind my ear before the spotlight falls on me once again, and everyone can see me.

"Starting off the night is the lovely tribute from District 1! She's fierce; she's fiery, she's a little off-putting. Here she is, Eliza Orsini!"

Eliza walks onto the stage in a bright pink dress. She looks a bit pained as the color makes the Capitol squeal in delight. I'm taking her for more as a dark color, black, and navy, kind of girl. Her hair is tied up in a nice bun, and she has a single curled bang falling in front of her face. A diamond necklace shaped like a heart sits firmly on her collarbones, and when she sits down on the couch ahead of me, she slouches her shoulders to where it sits in the crease of where the bones are.

"Eliza! Let me be the first to say that you look stunning tonight!"

"Thanks," she says softly. Her face has not moved since she walked out onto the stage. She still looks to be in pain as if wearing pink is physically causing her destruction.

"How are you feeling about going in the games tomorrow?" I ask trying to keep the conversation going. "Do you have any plans that you would want to share with the audience?"

"I feel good," she says plainly. "And no. Not really."

This girl is literally giving me nothing to work with. I'm about to ask my next question when Latricia's voice appears in my ear. She tells me the number, and I pause dramatically and touch my ear to let the audience know what's going on.

"Eliza, I have your score. What do you think you got?"

"I don't know," she says. "Maybe like a solid 8."

"Eliza," I say pausing again for dramatic effect. "You're wrong. You scored a 10!"

Her face not changing as the audience cheers and stands up. I don't know if they're cheering because the crowd is excited she got such a high score, or if they genuinely like her, but judging from her reaction to things I can't imagine it being the later of the two.

"How does it feel? Do you think you got the highest score among the careers?"

"I mean, I suppose. Luxulo isn't threatening, Maisla is good, but her mouth gets in the way," A loud scream saying the phrase "Oh no that bitch didn't!" erupts from the back of the stage, and the audience laughs. "The couple from 4 is okay; I guess they'd be my only real worry."

"And Kyper?" I ask her.

"Who?" she says quite genuinely.

"The fucking shade!" we hear from the background followed by an uproar of laughter. "That bitch said who?!" the laughing intensifies and Eliza's bell rings signifying her to leave the stage. She nods and does a quick curtsey to the Capitol audience and walks off in the opposite direction. The second she hits the other side of the stage she unzips her dress and wiggles out of it standing in her bra and underwear backstage. She takes a deep breath and then walks to the elevator to go up to her suite.

"Well if that interview didn't leave you wanting more, I don't know what will, Panem!" No, they should want more because she gave me absolutely nothing to work with. Selfish cow. This is my first time hosting, and I can't suck.

"We'll be right back with more tributes after a word from our sponsors."

* * *

 **Lexus Allen, 14**

 **District 3 Male**

* * *

I watch Hindi walk onto the stage, and my stomach drops down to my feet. If it was any heavier, I don't think I'd have to wait for the games to kill me. My nerves would do it for me. I try to calm myself down by taking deep breaths, but I'm in a real desperate situation.

Not only are me and Hindi, not careers, but our interviews are surrounded by careers, who takes a genuine interest in District 3 when you have the fierce warriors from District 2 before us, and the beautiful beach gods from District 4 right after. It doesn't help that both of the District 2 tributes had the audience roaring with laughter as they did their interview.

"Are you okay, kid?" whispers the District 4 female from behind me. "You look pale."

"I'm okay," I say. My voice breaks and I feel the need to curl up into a microscopic fetal position and never get back up again.

Hindi's interview seems to be over in a total of seven and a half seconds, and before I know it I hear my name being called over the microphone and I awkwardly make my way to the center of the stage to meet Vivica. She's talking openly to me, but I can't hear a word she's saying. I can see the audience clapping, and her mouth moving, but all I hear is a slight high pitch buzz in my ear.

"Lexus?" she says as my ears finally decide to function again. "Lexus, are you okay?"

"What?" I ask confused as she looks at me. The audience laughs and I can't help but start to blush as I begin to silently scold myself for making a fool out of me during this interview in the first ten seconds.

"Well, you must be a little shy, huh?" she asks with a light chuckle. "Just take a deep breath, and pretend like no one in the audience is there. You will do great!"

"Okay," I say taking a deep breath. "I think you asked me how I was right? I am nervous right now, but I think that is starting to go away. Well, the stage fright aspect of it is starting to go away. I'm absolutely petrified to get my score back."

"Do you think you didn't do so well?" asks Vivica with a sad face.

"I think I got like a negative seven," I say way to honestly and then instantly cover my mouth. The audience laughs as I feel my cheeks go an even deeper color of red than they were before. "I'm sorry," I say silently.

"Sorry for what?" asks Vivica. "You're doing great! Right guys?!"

The audience hoots and hollers and I'm left feeling a little better. Suddenly Vivica is touching her ear, and my head starts pounding.

You know those moments where you can feel your entire heart start pounding? Where you feel every muscle in your body tense up, and you wish so hard that you're going to just relax, but you know that it's never going to come? The way I see it right now? I get a high score and become a target, or I get a low score and become irrelevant. Either is bad.

"Lexus, I now have your official score for your time in the Capitol. Any guesses as to what it might be?"

"Is it higher than a negative seven?" I ask quietly. The audience laughs, but that wasn't meant as a joke. I was serious.

"Yes, much higher than a negative seven," says Vivica as she's laughing herself. "Go ahead. Give it a real solid guess!"

"Okay, uh, maybe a four?"

"Lexus, your training score for this year's games is...a 5!"

My eyes bulge out of my head as I watch the giant 5 appear on the screen behind me. Looking over at the leadership board, I see the District 2 girl in 1st place with a score of an 11 and all of the other other careers so far have gotten a 9 or a 10. I've gotten last place as far as those who have come before me, but I know once we get down to the weaker Districts there is always that one tribute that a scores a 3.

"Lexus, how are you feeling now that you see this score? Isn't that much better than your idea of a negative seven?"

"That is much better!" I say with a genuine smile on my face. "I just want to say thank you to everyone who scored me during these last few days, and I promise that I'll make you see that I was worthy of that 5."

I know it isn't a lavish score at all, but it means a lot to me that someone saw me as unique enough to not get a 1 or 2 like I was expecting. My bell rings and Vivica sends me off the stage and into the wings of the interview platform. I see Hindi staring there smiling and she embraces me as I take a deep breath and then look at the District 4 girl walking on. Her demeanor as she walks on is smiling and bubbly. Completely opposite of what she was like all week in the training room.

"So what do we do now?" I ask Hindi as I look to her with a smile.

"Tomorrow is the big day," she says solemnly, her face suddenly turning grim. "We live or die."

* * *

 **Pike Macentire, 18**

 **District 10 Male**

* * *

I don't think it is any secret that I am the underdog in this situation. I can't help but feel like that stupid dog back home that I grew attached to. So helpless and dumb that if I ever put her in the ring, she'd die in an instant. Now here I am about to go up against some of the biggest dogs I've ever faced, and I don't see it coming out okay for myself.

The interviews today haven't been awful. Usually there are a few stragglers that make it a lot easier for everyone else, but honestly, there haven't been any of those tributes so far. Which means there is a high chance that I am going to be that tribute.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome all the way from District 10 Pike Macentire!"

I walk onto the stage, and the bright lights are shining into my face. I have to squint just to see Vivica sitting down in her deep red dress as she waits for me to join her in the interview area. _Don't talk about dog fighting._ I remind myself as I sit down across from her. _Don't talk about dog fighting._

Here's the thing though. When you have such a massive part of your life, it becomes the only thing you know. I don't know how to introduce myself without that being the leading quality about me, because the truth is, I'm the best at what I do. If it weren't for that stupid mutt that I saved back home, I would have a nearly perfect scoring to my name.

"Hello, Pike," says Vivica.

"Hello," I respond a bit more quietly than I intended. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm good," she says smiling. "You know, just doing this work grind." the audience including myself start to laugh. There's something about her presence on the stage that makes you feel comfortable. You don't feel like you're on camera in front of millions of people. You get the feeling that she's the only one in the room, and she just wants to get to know you.

"So Pike, what do you do back home?" she asks me.

"I raise dogs to dog fig-" I begin and then quickly stop. Panic starts to rush through my body, and I instantly feel the color drain out of my face. _You had one damn job, Pike. One damn job!_ I think to myself as she looks confused.

"Train them to what?"

"Nothing," I say quickly. "I do nothing back home."

"Pike, were you going to say you train dogs to fight?" she asks me with an appalled look on her face. The audience gasps and some even get up and start to boo as I stare at Vivica with a scared expression plastered onto my face.

"I, uh,"

"Boo, you stink!" says someone from the audience.

Soon the entire audience is on their feet screaming things at me and telling me that I'm an awful person. I look to Vivica for help, but she unapologetically looks away and smiles at the camera.

Something inside me begins to boil inside as I watch these people boo me over dogfighting. The hypocrisy in their stances is blinding, and before I can stop myself I stand up and shout at the top of my lungs, "Oh like you guys are any different!" I say.

The audience quiets down, and their faces change from genuine outrage to insult as they stare at me.

"You all sit here and year after year watch as 23 children go into an arena to die! You look at it as some sort of sport, and enjoy it! It's something you look forward to! I do what I have to so I can survive in a District that has _far_ less than you all do. You don't even get anything from the Hunger Games! So screw you and your hypocrisy."

I sit back down, and the audience is dead silent. The room is filled with so much silence that you could hear a pencil drop as I wait for someone to say something. Anything at this point would be better than nothing.

Vivica places her hand up to hear and begins to nod. The audience is still silent, other than her occasional use of the words "okay" and "yeah."

"Pike, I have your score," says Vivica. "Any guesses as to what it might be."

"I don't think it counts for anything now," I say a tad defeated.

"Probably not," says Vivica honestly. "However, I still want to hear your opinion on how you did in training. I know that this situation is very stressful."

"I don't know. A 4?"

"Wrong, Pike, you got a 6."

Someone in the audience stands up and screams "It's because he abuses animals he's so good at killing!" and before I know it I'm being booed off the stage.

* * *

 **Vivica Fo, 24**

 **MC for the Hunger Games Interviews**

* * *

The last interview of the night is only a few moments away. The Producers thought it would be interesting to have both District 12 tributes up on the stage to hash out their little situation in front of the entire nation.

Is this smart for either of the pair? Absolutely not. However, it's good for ratings, which makes it good for my paycheck so I'm all for it. One of these two is going to die tomorrow, and my honest money is on Adam rather than Carolina. Something about her just seems like a fighter to me. I think he pushed her down the stairs, but I don't think she went down without a fight either.

"Panem, the moment we have all been waiting for. The dysfunctional pair for District 12, please welcome Carolina Marie and Adam Ashford!"

Carolina walks onto the stage with her arms cuddled across her chest. She quickly turns around and sees Adam walking behind her and then runs to the chair closest to me. The audience boos as he walks to the chair and sits next to her, but she quickly scoots her chair closer to mine.

"Carolina, how are you doing, sweetheart?" I ask her with a sympathetic look.

"I mean, I suppose I could be a little worse. I'm just scared to fall asleep in my suite," she says with a sad tone and tears welling up in her eyes. "He said if I told anyone he pushed me he would kill me before the games even started. This is just so much to take in. And now I'm losing sponsor money, and I didn't even think I was going to get 5 dollars, so now I'm going to have nothing."

The audience is sympathizing with her by the sounds of their "awhs" and "oh you poor baby" I keep hearing coming from them. Adam looks at her with wild eyes.

"That's not even true!" he said. "I've stayed away from you the whole time since you threw yourself down the stairs!"

"He won't even own his actions," says Carolina. "I think that's the part that hurts my heart the most. My mother always told me that if you're going to do something that you should own it. He did something really cruel, and because of that cruelness, I now am sporting a concussion. I was scared even to take the bandage off because I don't want anyone's pity!"

"You're literally so full of it!" screams Adam as he stands up and throws his chair backward. "What the hell is your problem?! Seriously?! I'm so confused what I've done to you!"

Carolina throws herself on the ground next to my leg and covers her head. "Please! Please don't hit me! I don't think my head can take that! It's the night before the games! Please!" she shrieks from the floor. I feel her tears start to fall onto my dress, and I instantly go into protective mode.

"Sit back down in your chair, Mr. Ashford!" I say.

"Why is everyone defending her?! She's a monster!" he says throwing his hands up in the air.

"Sit down _now,"_ I say more forcefully.

I pick Carolina up to her feet and dust off her dress and straighten her up. "Baby girl, if I have anything to do with it, you'll have all the sponsors you need in these games," I say. "Right guys?!"

The audience roars and Carolina looks so surprised and genuinely shocked as she covers her mouth with tears overflowing from her eyes. She looks over at Adam and gives a strong yet still kind of scared look, and then sits back down in the chair. The audience continues to roar, and some even throw roses onto the stage.

"You've no idea how much your support means to me."

Latricia starts announcing their training scores into the walkie attached to my ear, and I begin to take in the notes that she says. Like I've done all night when she talks, I place my hand to my ear to let the audience know I'm getting something when she finishes I wait an extra three or four seconds to allow dramatic effect and then smile at Carolina.

"Carolina, I have your score. Do you want to guess or just want me to tell you?!" I ask her with an excited smile.

"I don't think I can wait any longer!" she says clapping her hands together joyfully. I just need to know!"

"Carolina, you scored a 7!"

She squeals in delight, and the Capitol audience roars in applause. She jumps up and down in her seat, and her smile is as big as a child who is coming into the living room on Christmas morning.

"Adam, you scored a 3," I say plainly.

The bell rings, and the two get up and walk off stage. Carolina has a little extra pep in her step than Adam, and I'm excited that she came out on top in this situation. The audience is still roaring over Carolina's score as I sign off for the night.

"Wow, we've had a jam-packed night! Thank you, Panem for tuning into another great year of interviews here in the great city of the Capitol. We are signing off, but remember to stay tuned tomorrow morning for the opening of the games! Judging by the look of this cast, it's going to be messy! From on-site with the tributes, I'm Vivica Fo, goodnight!"

 **I hope no one hates me for how I did these interviews. I had a whole thing planned, but with how school is currently going I couldn't bring myself to do 24 of these. I figured you guys would rather an update sooner than a long wait for an update that I didn't even want to write fully. This suits both of our needs.**

 **Training Scores**

 **Eliza- 10**

 **Luxulo- 9**

 **Maisla-11**

 **Kyper-10**

 **Hindi-4**

 **Lexus-5**

 **Alia-10**

 **Aeron-10**

 **Alina-5**

 **Kellar-4**

 **Talia-5**

 **Cartier-6**

 **Abigail-3**

 **Kegn-2**

 **Rhea-6**

 **Jute-7**

 **Charon-8**

 **Zea-3**

 **Kira-4**

 **Pike-6**

 **Hyssop-5**

 **Chen-6**

 **Carolina-7**

 **Adam-3**

 **Well, that was the interviews and scores. The bloodbath I hope to get up by tomorrow. Which probably means I will. I'm just tired, so I don't plan on doing it tonight. I love everyone who has followed this story, and I'll say it now, and I'll repeat it in the bloodbath chapter, who I kill has absolutely no impact on my like or dislike towards you as a person. Just how the arcs played out and who I connected with as the writer.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	23. Bloodbath

**As I said before if your tribute dies, it's nothing personal**

 **I'm so honored that so many people even bother reading my stories.**

 **So even though it is sad to see your tribute die, I do hope you will stick around.**

 **With that being said, let's get to the main reason why you're here.**

 **In LadyCordeliaStuarts' words "We want DEATH! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GODS!"**

* * *

 **Hyssop Leavy, 16**

 **District 11 Female**

* * *

My suite door slams open, and in walks several Teslas holding various amounts of clothing. They don't resemble their typical cheery demeanor. Their once smiling faces were instead replaced with scowls and anger lines on their forehead.

"What is going on?" I ask a little bit concerned.

One Tesla stops moving and goes back to her cheery demeanor as she stands over me. "Hello, Hyssop!" she says happily. "Unfortunately our helpful programming has been disabled until you kids are into the tubes. Apparently, you could have asked to run away the whole time, and we would have had to help! Funny right! Anyway, we are here to help you get ready for the launch. I will not return to my programmed state!" she says as her smile disappears, and she is once again furrowed and angry looking.

Ten awkward minutes later, I'm ready for the launch into what could be the very last moments of my life. This whole experience has moved so quickly. Last night I was up all night willing blessings to fall onto me. Though I doubt any will. Blood for blood is not in my realm of witchcraft.

"Tesla do you know how long it will be before we head off to the arena?" I ask her. She doesn't answer. My response is her staring straight ahead at the back of the other Tesla's head.

I arrive in a loading zone about the same time as all the other Tributes. I notice a couple of them look more frazzled than others, especially the pair from District 2. A Tesla walks to the front of the pack of tributes and other AIs and begins to talk.

"Tesla's as head Tesla we can now take over the world!' she says menacingly. We all exchange confused faces. Funny how even before we all kill each other we are still able to acknowledge the confusion in a situation. "I'm only kidding!" says the Head Tesla. "We are, however, getting ready to board you onto the hovercraft. While on board you will receive a tracker and a blindfold. Not in that order." she adds with a wink. "We'd like to take a second and thank you for allowing us to serve you here in the Capitol. We hope all of your needs are met. As 23 of you are about to die, we hope that you will choose Tesla incorporated for all of your funeral needs and until we meet again. Tesla's load them up." she says with a creepy smile.

Group by group the four Tesla's blindfold us and walk us on board. I don't know who I'm around, but whoever is sitting next to me is shaking like a leaf. I reach my hand out, and the feel around until I find the other tribute's hand. It's small and frail, and their skin is cold to the touch. When they feel my hand, they grab it, and they don't let go.

"Thank you." says a small female voice.

"Everything is going to be okay," I say with a smile. I instantly stop, however, remembering that she can't see me. "We are going to be okay.

"What do you think happens after death?" the little voice whispers back.

I imagine at this point I'm talking to one of the 12-year-olds. There is a long pause because, in all honesty, I don't know how to answer the question, before I'm able to respond the unmistakable voice of the girl from District 2 speaks up.

"You just sleep.," she says soothingly. "I'm sorry that you're going to go through this, baby girl," she says. "I seem like a total bitch, and don't get me wrong. I am, but I would never place 12-year-olds in here. You're too young for this kind of game."

"I just don't want to die." the small voice begins to say. Her body begins to shake violently. "Back home in District 7 my brothers always protected me. I never felt any fear about anything because I know that I always had them. Now I'm on my own." she says.

She begins to hyperventilate, and I hear a Tesla call to another. We feel movement shifting through the aisle, and before long my little friend is sitting still in the chair.

"I think we are in rows." says the girl from District 2. "I'm assuming there are rows of three because I'm on the aisle. Are you on a wall?" she asks me.

I stick my other hand that's not in the little girl from District 7's still and feel the cold metallic feeling of a barrier. "Yes," I say. "I'm assuming that this cold thing next to me is the wall."

"That was cool what you did for her," she says. "Doing your best to make her feel comfortable and all that stuff. Who are you?"

"District 11," I say softly.

"The weird witch girl?"

"So my reputation proceeds me," I say with a chuckle.

"You're safe during the bloodbath, Witch-girl. And if I see you we are square. As long as we aren't the final 2."

"I appreciate that."

"Arm please." says the voice of a Tesla as she grabs my arm and injects a long needle into it. I wince, and I feel a light square chip being deposited throughout my arm.

"Tributes," says a Tesla over the intercom. "You will now be put to sleep. When you wake up, you will be in the launch room for the arena. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

"Good luck, Witch-girl."

"Good luck, Career," I say quietly.

* * *

 **Luxulo Kingsmark, 18**

 **District 1 Male**

* * *

I wake up in the launch room. It's a little stone room with a comfortable couch on it, a water bottle dispensary, and a fish tank oddly enough. Something about it makes it seem bigger than just my room, though. Maybe it stretches across the entire set of launch rooms.

 _Okay, this is what you've been waiting for, Luxulo._ I pump myself up. _You have been waiting your whole life for this moment. Don't blow it. Do not blow it!_

"Tributes, please get into your launching tubes and wait for further instructions."

I step off the couch that I was just on and walk over to the tube. The glass slides back, and I cautiously step into the dome-like structure. I face the room I was once in, and the glass closes behind me. Slowly the tube starts to lower me, which I think it wrong.

"Wait!" I said. "I'm in here!" I start to bang on the glass.

"Tributes, please don't panic, the arena requires depth, not height."

I take an instant sigh of relief as the tube continues to lower me into God knows what torture chamber. I wonder what the arena will look like this year. I remember in the 20th year there was a dark cave-like chamber. That was not fun. There was a dragon that blew fire, and it made for a lot of restless nights for the tributes.

I hear a machine like a door open, and before I know it I'm staring at a deep blue ceiling. The tube is now gone, and I'm just floating on the platform, drifting towards my launch pad. I look around at the other tributes and see them awkwardly trying to balance on the platform that is moving really slow.

I see Kyper a couple of platforms over, and he is standing stiff as a board. The excitement starts to run through my body as I see him always so cocky, now trying not to let the fear on his face show. We are still a good 20 feet above our platform, and I start to pretend I'm surfing and trying to make him laugh.

He doesn't look up, so I start to do some other things like jump up and down so I can get his attention. On my last jump, however, I feel my foot hit the air, and I panic. I slip off the platform and fall towards my platform. I try to throw my body more towards the middle of the cornucopia area in hopes that I would not land on the bomb, but I can only move so much with nothing to glide the air.

My body makes an impact with the ground and for a second nothing happens. I lie there on the ground not able to breathe from the impact of hitting the ground from as high as I did. When I'm finally able to catch my breath, I notice that the other platforms have stopped moving down, and are now moving more upwards. My empty platform sits about 10 feet above me, and I frown as I wonder what's about to happen.

All of the sudden I hear a clicking, and then explosion fills my ear.

 _You blew it, Luxulo. Literally._

* * *

 **Maisla Delisse, 18**

 **District 2 Female**

* * *

I know that little bitch ass did not just go and get himself blown up before the games even started?! How you gonna train your whole life for something and then blow it right at the last minute?! That's not only an embarrassment to himself, but to his District. They picked the wrong kid this year.

Looking around on the platforms I see the other tributes now descending in perfect unison down the launch pads when my platform clicks into place a voice comes on over the intercom system, and it's the voice of Letricia Everette.

"Hello tributes, welcome to my little arena, as some of you may have noticed you're underwater. The arena is nothing more than some tunnels and multiple little glass domes. However, the twist is rich." says Latricia with an evil laugh in her voice. "There are 24 domes in this arena. Once someone dies in the mini domes, the walls will begin to crack filling with water. You then have five seconds to get out of the room before you get trapped in the dome and drown yourself. The giant room your in allows for 12 deaths, so be very wary about who dies in here. The tunnels are located in the little sponge-like compartments. They're resistant to water, so water will not run through them. In the very center of the arena and underground is a food bank. There you will find everything you need to last in this arena. But do you really think it's that easy to get there? I guess you'll find out. Good luck tributes, and may the odds be ever in your favor. "

A timer begins to take place all around the big glass dome. The letters are neon green, and they make it impossible for you to miss the number at hand.

60

59

58

57

This is going to be a rough bloodbath. We already have one dead, and now I'm trapped in the group with Kyper. Luxulo was really the one that stepped in when he and I were losing it. Now I can't decide if I want to stay with them.

34

33

32

31

If I don't stay with them, then I don't have anyone. At least with them, I'm not by myself. I got an 11; I am going to be a target.

12

11

10

9

But then again none of the tributes that would try and target me would be able to. I got an 11.

5

4

3

2

1

"May the Hunger Games begin!"

I spring from my platform and see instant chaos erupting. I make note that I won't attack any of the twelve-year-olds, and if I see anyone trying to kill them right now, I will end them right then and there. Cowards are trying to take out the weak.

"Let's get this started, Maisla," I say with a smile.

* * *

 **Adam Ashford, 18**

 **District 12 Male**

* * *

"Adam your time starts now." says Latricia over the intercom.

I see all of the other tributes begin to scatter, and then I see one little girl walk over with an apple in hand.

5

4

She smiles at me with the same devious smile that she's been giving me the entirety of our time in the Capitol and rewinds her arm ready to throw the apple.

3

2

"Boom boom, Adam," says Carolina as she launches the apple at my platform, causing it to explode.

* * *

 **Lexus Allen, 14**

 **District 3 Male**

* * *

I froze. I couldn't help it. The noise distracted me. I thought we were all off the platform so how were we still hearing the explosions of someone blowing up. I begin to hear a cracking sound, and right in front of me, I notice the glass to the dome start to show signs of weakness. I grab onto Hindi's arm, and she looks at which tunnel she thinks we should take.

"Lexus I really don't know what's going on!" says Hindi. "She really freaked me out with those tunnel comments. I don't know if I am going to be able to navigate them, and if I'm not able to navigate, then a mutt is going to get us.

"Well, well, well." says a devilish male voice behind us. "What do we have here? A couple of stragglers, huh?" The boy from District 2 stands at the entrance of the dome we are in with an evil smile.

"Hindi now!" I scream as I attempt to dive into one of the tunnels. I see Hindi go feet first into the tunnel on our left, and I tried to go head first in the one on the right, but something has ahold of my foot.

I begin to get dragged back towards the entrance of the tunnel, and I try and pull myself free, but the hand has a tight grip.

"No!" I scream as tears are running down my face. "I got a 5!" I start to make some leeway back down towards the tunnels, but before I know it there are two hands on the foot that the boy from District 2 had, and I'm not strong enough to keep pulling. I appear in the dome again, and the boy from District 2 has a sadistic grin on his face.

"Oh this is just too good," he says. "Look at you. You're so scared," he says running his hand along my face.

"Don't touch me!" I spit back at him angrily. "Leave me alone."

"Okay, fine." says the boy as he takes a knife out of his pocket and jams it into my stomach. I see stars. My vision starts to get blurry as he takes the knife and again shoves it into my stomach. I hardly feel the blade enter and leave my body, and everything starts to get really cold. I hear the warning that the water is about to rush in, and know my time is coming.

"Have a nice time in the afterlife, buddy," says Kyper as he gets up and jogs towards the door standing inside of the central dome where the cornucopia is. A glass wall starts to separate the dome I'm in and that big main door.

* * *

 **Hindi Kabyle, 17**

 **District 3 Female**

* * *

I pop out of the tunnel as soon as the boy from District 2 leaves and see Lexus lying on the floor in a pool of his blood. I go and stand by his side, and then I start to see the water leaking in through the walls. Lexus' eyes are blank and hazed over, and I realize there's nothing I can do to help him.

"Go in peace," I say as I turn back to the tunnel and try to jump back in.

When I stick my foot into the tunnel, I realize it's not able to go through. A thick black substance has filled itself into the hole, and no matter how hard I push on it it's not letting me through. I begin to panic, and I run straight to the other tunnel only to see the same black substance covering the tunnel.

"NO!" I scream as I run straight to the glass door separating the central dome and this small one. I start to bang on it, and the boy from District 2 is still watching from the outside. A sick laugh starts to come from him as he's hunched over looking at the water fill as it rises above my knees.

"No! Please let me out!" I beg looking at the ceiling of the dome. "Please! I'm not ready to die! I'm not ready; I'm not ready, _I'm not ready!"_ I scream as I attempt to fall to my knees sobbing. The water has risen to my waist without me even noticing, and I continue just to cry harder.

"I can't swim," I whisper as I begin to see the cracks in the dome as the walls start to break.

 _Oh well, I wasn't going to win anyway._

The wall cracks open and sucks Lexus and me into the open ocean.

* * *

 **Eliza Orsini, 18**

 **District 1 Female**

* * *

The tributes are starting to clear out fast, and due to Luxulo's incompetency, I am left to defend the honor of my District alone. I've mainly stayed in the back of the cornucopia hiding behind it. I hope that some tribute will run to one of the domes in front of me, and I can snag them from the back.

Like a true hunter.

My wish is granted as a group of tributes come running around the enormous golden structure. The two tributes from 5 and the two tributes from 11 are running towards the dome directly behind the cornucopia with a great vigor. They're close enough to where I can make a surprise attack without them really noticing, but not far enough that I would feel comfortable taking all of them on at once.

I look at the assortment of weapons I got from the supplies and decided my best choice would be the spear since I can launch it a long distance. I take the spear in my hand and line my aim with one of the tributes in the group, and let it fly.

The spear rolls out of my hand and flies through the air landing in the boy from 5's head. He falls to the ground, and his alliance members all let out a squeal looking for where it came from. I begin to run towards them, and they then turned around and kept running.

Once they're gone, I walk over to the dead boy lying before me. I see him bleeding out before me, and I can't help but smile as I look down and see him. The same feeling of pride that I once had saving people fills my body, and once again the sweet taste of success that I've craved ever since the passing of my father is in my mouth.

"Thank you for your sacrifice," I whisper to him before I run back, grab my supplies, and run back to one of the various tunnels.

* * *

 **Kira Sarello, 14**

 **District 10 Female**

* * *

 _You're an idiot, Kira._

I had a clear getaway plan. I had a backpack and a dome that was just waiting for me to get into the tunnel, and now I'm sitting inside of the cornucopia because I wanted a weapon. I have no idea how the hell I'm going to get out of here alive.

 _You probably won't._

I sit there quietly nestled in between two crates. I can still see most of the action that is happening on the battlefield. I can see that the girl from 2 cornered the pair from 6 and now has the boy by the hair. He pushes the girl into the dome, and she falls into the tunnel head first as the girl from 2 twist his neck, and he falls to the ground.

I can also see that there is no longer anyone in the big dome other than the careers. My heart starts to beat heavily as I listen to their conversation in an attempt to figure out an escape plan.

"Where the hell did Alia and Aeron go?" ask the girl from 2. "Did they go and chase another tribute?"

"Not sure." says the boy from 2. "I'm not exactly happy being here with you though, so maybe we should go look for them."

"I mean it what I said about the final 10, Kyper. We need each other. Especially since you're the only other career, I see. If we can't do it for us, let's do it for our District." she sticks out her hand, and he takes it.

"I agree," he says

Right as they shake my legs begin to twitch, and one of the boxes that I was behind scooted to the left making a loud noise. The two tributes glance over towards me, and I instantly hide behind the crate.

"Is someone there?" asks the girl from 2.

She and the boy from 2 walks over to the boxes inside of the cornucopia and begin to poke around.

 _Just own it._

I stand up with my hands raised as I look at them with a helpless expression. "Please don't kill me."

The boy from 2 looks at the girl and then back at me. A smile creeps upon his face. It happened in a flash. I sharp pain across my neck, and a sticky substance scattered all around me on my chest. I fall to the ground and see a whip in the hand of the girl from District 2. Attached to the end of it is a knife blade.

"Sorry baby girl, but if it's you or me, it's always gotta be you.

 **That was my bloodbath. I feel a little emotional I'm not going to lie. I wasn't expecting to feel emotional, but these guys have been here for awhile you know?**

 **Eulogies**

 **24th Place: Luxulo Kingsmark, District 1 Male, Fell off his platform: Sally believe it or not he's not dead for lack of reviews. There's a number of people that haven't reviewed that are still living right now, and some that have reviewed every chapter and are dead. I love reviews, but I needed to fill arcs, and for some of the tributes that need to go deeper for my story, Luxulo had to bite the dust. He was an interesting take on a typical stereotype. So thank you for the submission.**

 **23rd Place: Adam Ashford, District 12 Male, Killed by Carolina Marie: Adam had absolutely nothing wrong with him. The only problem with Adam was that he had the unfortunate disadvantage of being Ms. Carolina's District partner. Carolina was the third overall tribute I had gotten for this story and the first spot that I closed on the place probably ever. She had a plot and arc within the first day of getting her, and Adam just fell short of that. Thank you for the submission, Grey. Sorry for this. :(**

 **22nd Place: Lexus Allen, District 3 Male, Killed by Kyper Bridger: I honestly didn't know what to do with Lexus. Getting good characters for District 3 is always hard. I think I've only ever seen one District 3 tribute go deep in a game, and one win. So it's hard to get submissions from that District. Lexus wasn't bad; I just didn't see where he would fit with these prominent characters I had already entangled. RIP little man. Rest in peace.**

 **21st Place: Hindi Kayble, District 3 Female, Killed by arena: Goldie, this was the hardest death for me to write. You always do so well with the submissions you send me, and I always feel like I screw you over. I don't try to. Hindi was good, and you did everything correctly. Like I said with Lexus though, I had** _ **such**_ **a hard time finding a spot for her. I tried. Oh my lord asks Jenna I asked her dozens of times how to add her in. I just couldn't find anything I could relate to and like. Sorry, Goldie. :(**

 **20th Place: Kellar Fairbairn, District 5 Male, Killed by Eliza Orsini: Kellar again wasn't a bad tribute. My last two stories have had D5 males win.** _ **I hate District 5 with a passion, so someone explain this to me.**_ **Winter, you subbed a good kid, but I couldn't risk writing him and growing to love him like the others. Neither of those freaking characters were supposed to win, and here they were with me saying "yeah, I'll just get them next time," and I never could. So I took care of it early. Sorry, you drew the short straw.**

 **19th place: Cartier Ford, District 6 Male, Killed by Maisla Delisse: I had to think long and hard about this death, and what it came down to was is his relationship with Talia worth keeping him around for just that reason alone. The answer had to be no. Not with the plot I already have going in place. Not to mention your submitter disappeared altogether. So sorry.**

 **18th Place: Kira Sarello, District 10 Female, Killed by Maisla Delisse: Your submitter disappeared and not only did they disappear, but they didn't message me. A lot of people have mentioned the check-in systems to me, and I don't update who's told me what every time, but the truth is most of you have done an excellent job at letting me know what's up. I'm not mad. Life happens. I understand that 100%. However, I can't keep someone I'm already uninspired for in the story if their submitter isn't even reading.**

 **Alliance Update**

 **Careers: Maisla/Kyper**

 **Aura...3: Hyssop/Chen/Alina**

 **Cuties...but they have Satan: Carolina/Abigail/Kegn**

 **Stoic Ariel and Eric the Hoe: Alia/Aeron**

 **I took away her only friend oops: Talia**

 **Politically Correct...Kind of?: Zea/Charon/ No more Tesla...Maybe ;)**

 **Can't lie...kind of stuck: Rhea/Jute**

 **Fabulous and Single: Eliza/Pike**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	24. Day 1

**Kegn Yuehan, 16**

 **District 7 Male**

* * *

The tunnels are a mess of confusion. Abigail, Carolina, and I have been a mess trying to find someplace to hide, and we have seemed to travel for hours until we finally ended up in a little pod that's connected to the tunnels.

The pod is a small bunker with a bunk bed on the right wall. I've allowed the girls to take possession of the beds. I decided to take the floor because I want Abigail to be in the most comfort she can. I can't help but loop Carolina and Abigail in the same boat. Something about a 12-year-old being in the games just unsettles me. Either of these two winning would be my ultimate goal. A particular priority on Abigail though considering we are from the same District.

"I feel paranoid," says Abigail as she curls her legs up into her chest and sits on the bed with a scared expression on her face. "My heart keeps racing. I feel like every moment in here could very well be my last."

"That's the reality of these games," I say bitterly. "The Capitol sees this as some entertainment, but this is real life. This is our lives. What does it matter to them though if a couple of poor kids die."

The room is charged with an awkward atmosphere. Carolina begins to play with the walls, just running her hand along the linings of the wall. She stops at a particular place in the pod where the metal in the room has a hole in it. She frowns and then digs in her hair for a hairpin. She sticks her pin into the hole. The wall that is opposite of the bunk beds begins to lower, and Abigail lets out a scream.

Inside the wall is a screen with a map of the tunnels. There are little neon green dots that signify where the other tributes are in the maze, or if they're in the upper-level pods.

"Woah," says Carolina.

"Congratulations!" says a familiar voice from out of nowhere. We all jump and a Tesla appears in the corner of the room. She waves politely as she stares at our shocked expressions. "Oh yikes, you didn't get startled right? I'm now available in the games! There are limitations of course. You can't ask me where another tribute is, the condition they're in, or for food or water. That's still something you have to do on your own. However, I can provide the same files on tributes I was able to before. This pod is the only room that has this map, so use it wisely."

She stares at all three of us waiting for a command. "Is there anything that I can do for you?" she asks me.

"Uh, can you show us how to get the food?" asks Abigail.

"That I can do! Follow me!" she says as she turns to the exit and begins to file out. Carolina takes the safety pin and pushes it back into the tiny hole in the wall. The map disappears, and it's just a normal bunker again. The four of us, including Tesla, walk through the tunnels weaving in and out of the corners.

"Tesla, is there another tributes anywhere near us?" asks Carolina skeptically.

"I cannot answer that questions, Carolina," says Tesla with a smile.

"No, you said you couldn't tell us where they are exactly. I'm asking if they're anywhere near us."

Tesla stops walking and pauses. Staring off into space she seems to be processing a lot of information and then looks back at Carolina. "I'm not getting a direct override, and your point is valid, so I guess I'm allowed to answer your question. Bylaws of the rules and the way you asked the question I'm not allowed to tell you who, but I can say that there are two tributes that are very very near us. I suggest we keep walking."

"Don't have to tell me twice," I say as we follow Tesla.

Her smile returns to her face as she guides us through the tunnels. As we continue to go deeper into the tunnels, the area inside of it begins to get smaller and smaller. Tesla is just walking through the top of the tube as Carolina, Abigail, and I are having to crouch to get through the same area. We are creeping along when the smell of food starts to fill my nose. I begin to drool because it smells like Pizza.

When we round the corner, we see the two tributes from District 4 huddled over a pizza. The girl is the first to notice us in the room, and the boy is soon up on his feet once he sees us entering the room of the food supplies.

The girl acts quickly and before I know it there is a pain in the center of my stomach. I look down to see a knife sticking out of my midsection. She's running towards us when Abigail and Carolina throw their hands up. I fall to the ground, and the two stop running at us as they see all of the blood falling out of my stomach.

My body starts to grow cold, and I see Abigail physically shaking. "There are still so many people left," I say through struggled breath. "Give these two a chance," I say as the sleepy sensation starts to fill my body. I close my eyes and this time it's harder for me to open them. When I finally get them open, the vision around my eyes are faded, and I can barely make out the people in front of me anymore.

"Please," I say slowly as I close them for the last time.

* * *

 **Alia Sennett, 18**

 **District 4 Female**

* * *

The boy lies dead on the floor as his cannon sounds. We all pause for a second looking around to see if this room was going to crack. I can't believe I forgot about that piece of information they gave us. This game would be miserable without some food.

The two girls stare at us with a sense of fear, but of two different types. The girl from 7 looks fearful in the way that a child longs for their parent when they have a bad dream. The girl from 12 looks defiant as she has fear running through her. Her breath is heavy, but the fire in her eyes is undeniable.

"You killed our friend," says the girl from 7 softly as she looks at us. "You killed Kegn,"

"He was going to die if you wanted to get out anyway," says Aeron softly. "That's why it's excruciating to do what we are about to have to do. We are sorry that it's come down to this, we are. But you just walked into the wrong place at the wrong time."

He takes his knife out of his pocket and flicks it at the two girls. Not really at either of them, just to give them a jump start. Neither of us wants to kill them, but we know that killing them brings us one step closer to getting out of here.

The two girls separate, and being to spread out around the room. I go after the girl from 7 while Aeron goes after the girl from 12. Following her leads me to a giant pile of food. She runs directly behind the pile and then lets out an enormous scream. I crouch my way over to the pile and freeze. There isn't a way out. She's sitting on the ground with her face in her hands crying. She looks up at me, and her big chocolate colored eyes fill with terror as she lets out another scream.

I hear Aeron curse and turn around to see the girl from 12 running out of the room with a backpack full of food. Aeron comes around to me and sees the little girl staring at me with her big eyes, and something seems to click inside of him. He turns away and walks off.

"Make it quick," he says silently. "She doesn't deserve a long one."

I move closer to the girl, and she looks scared. Her body is shaking, and she keeps whispering the word no over and over again. When I kneel down to her, she looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Please." she manages to shake out of her voice. "I'm not a threat. I just want to make it a little farther," she says. Her eyes are willing me to let her live. She knows she can't get out of the room. She knows she can't even get out from behind this pile of food.

"Even if I wanted to let you go, Aeron would kill you the second you got out from behind the pile," I say solemnly. "I'm sorry you were thrown into this situation. It's not fair to put twelve-year-olds through this. You haven't even gotten a chance to live yet." I say.

She inches towards the exit of the pile as I'm talking and I block her way gently. She lets out another wail and buries her face in her hands. She starts to hyperventilate, and then I grab ahold of her shoulder, and she lets out a scream.

I can't decide what's the easiest and quickest way to do this where the girl won't feel any pain. She's screaming loud that and giving away our position. I grab ahold of her neck and sharply twist her throat hard. A snapping noise sounds throughout the room, and she falls to the ground. Her head at an awkward angle.

I come out from behind the pile right as her cannon sounds. Aeron looks at me with a sad face and then looks back at the dead boy on the ground.

"We got ourselves into something bigger than we anticipated," he says.

"We sure did," I say sadly back as I step over the boy walk back towards the pizza we were eating when the three first came into the room. I grab another piece and then walk over to the far side of the room. I feel sick to my stomach and don't want to eat. However, I know that I need to eat. Aeron grabs the rest of the pizza and follows behind me.

From the top of the ceiling, I see a hovercraft come down from the sky. It lands first above the boy and then drops the crane down to pick up his limp body. His skin is pale as snow when he disappears into the light of the hovercraft. The ship then goes over to behind the pile of food to pick the girl up. A couple of seconds later it's gone, and the only evidence that anything happened to them is the blood on the floor.

"District 7," I say holding up a piece of pizza to Aeron. "We thank them for the sacrifice, and we hope that it won't be in vain. We are sorry to the families of both tributes, and we hope that you understand this is just the game we're playing."

Aeron taps his piece of pizza to mine, and we eat in silence. A parachute falls from the sky and lands next to us. It has my name written across it. I get a sick feeling in my stomach as I look at the reward I'm getting for killing a child. I open the parachute to see a handwritten note and a small floral barrett.

 _Thank you for making it quick. We didn't think she was going to make it out of the arena, but Abigail dying isn't easy. We hate you, but we also appreciate you. This was her barrett. Wear it in remembrance of her. You at least owe her that._

 _-The family you just destroyed_

My heart sinks to my stomach as I pick up the tiny flower. Tears well in my eyes as I place the hair accessory in my hair with trembling hands. Aeron frowns as I clip it into place and stare at him.

"My condolences," I whisper.

* * *

 **Carolina Marie, 12**

 **District 12 Female**

* * *

I ran. I ran harder than I ever could have imagined running, and he still almost got me. That career stereotype isn't a joke, and it's made me realize some things.

The first, I don't have this in the bag like I thought. Don't get me wrong, intelligence-wise I have these tributes wrapped around my finger, but there is still a certain level of physicality that I, as a twelve-year-old, severely lack compared to these kids that are older.

The second, that I'm not going to be able to do this on my own. Now that both Abigail and Kegn are dead, the two people I was using as shields have disappeared from the playing field. I need to find others. People that are sympathetic, people that are blinded by their emotions to the point where they would do something they know wouldn't benefit them because it would help someone in need.

 _People like District 8._

"Tesla?" I call out to the air.

"Yes, Carolina?" asks the AI as she appears out of nowhere. Even though I expect her to make her appearance I'm still not used to something just showing up. I always jump. I can't help it.

"Can you bring me back to that room you initially found us in?" I ask her. "I need to get back to that map," I say quickly. "Wait, are there people already in there?" I implore her.

"No, there isn't. Good question asking skills, Carolina," says Tesla as she begins to walk in the direction of the room. I have an awful sense of direction. The room was no more than about 10 yards from me, and I just didn't see it. Tesla stops once we are both in the room and I close the door to the pod and latch it. Finally getting to take a deep breath I slouch against the wall and curl up into a ball.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Carolina?" asks Tesla

"Not unless you can just be here for me," I say. "I don't want to be alone right now."

Tesla pauses and then nods her head. "Yes, I can stay. Just remember that there are rules that I have to follow and we shouldn't have a problem," she says with a smile.

"Thanks, girl," I say softly.

"Not a girl," she says.

"Can I talk out a plan with you. You don't have to say anything, but tell me if I'm being stupid or making sense." I say ignoring her comment.

"I can do that," says Tesla. "Tell me, Carolina, what are you planning on doing."

"Well, firstly I need to open the map," I say as I walk over to the hole in the wall. I take the hairpin out of my hair and stick it in the tiny hole. Once again the wall falls to reveal a map. Tesla turns and comes and sits on the bed next to me.

"I need to find District 8," I say quietly to myself.

"Jute and Rhea are in the pod that is closest to the surface," says Tesla as she points to the screen. "I am not telling you something you couldn't have seen yourself," she says reassuring herself.

"So do you think if I go to them then I'll be able to convince them to let me into their alliance? Maybe I can play up to the image they already see me as, the broken girl that got beat by her district partner. What do you think?" I ask her.

"Well, according to Rhea's player profile she was a midwife before she came into the games. She has a passion for helping young babies, so I can't imagine her turning down an innocent. How would that look to her livelihood back home? She wouldn't likely have a business when she went home if you were to get turned away."

"So you'll show me to that pod that is closest to the surface?" I ask her careful of how I pick my words. If I asked her to show me to the tributes, she wouldn't be able to help anymore.

"Sure will!" says Tesla as she moves to the latch and unlatches the door. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Yeah let me turn off the map," I say quickly as I turn back to the hole in the wall. I take the hairpin out of my hair and inch it towards the switch when something catches my eye. "Woah," I say to Tesla who turns around looking intrigued. "Why are the two tributes from District 9 right on top of the girl from District 1?"

* * *

 **Zea Demeters, 16**

 **District 9 Female**

* * *

She is sitting in floor level pod leaning against the entrance to a tunnel. She is looking down at the ground and playing with the dirt in her shoe, and she looks to be incredibly bored. She's polished her spear precisely nine times since Charon, and I have started following her.

"What the hell are we doing here, Zea?" he asks me accusingly. "We are going to get killed."

"She won't kill me," I whisper back to him quickly as I walk towards her pod and then stop again. I've been doing this for the past five minutes. There's something about this girl that makes me just want to be around her. No matter how badly I know, it will go for me.

"You better know what you're doing," says Charon. "Everything inside of me is whispering run for the hills."

I move towards the pod again, but this time I don't stop. A surge of confidence flows through Charon and me, and I walk to her pod and stay at the entrance. She stares at us for a moment. Her face is a mix of amusement and confusion.

Then almost like a bolt of lightning, a knife flies through the air landing in Charon's head. I let out a scream as my District partner falls to the ground, and once again a giant crack in the main room's ceiling. She picks up another knife, but I hold up my hands quickly.

"Wait!" I say.

She pauses and stares at me quizzically.

"I don't know who I am," I say quickly, not knowing how much time I have before she gets upset and tries to kill me too. "I have fought my whole life to try and understand myself, and I just now am getting a glimpse of who I am. I don't want to die yet." I say quietly. "Not until I know myself."

"Why are you here then?" she asks me accusingly. "You know I'm a career. I don't take kindly to people dropping in unannounced."

"You've helped me a lot," I whisper.

"Excuse me?" she responds in a haughty tone.

"I-" I begin to explain and then fall short. I sink down to my knees and put my arms down. She never once releases her hand from the hilt of her knife. She walks over to me and kneels before and begins to search me for weapons. My body starts to shoot with electricity as she examines me. I know it's not the kind of touch that is reserved for lovers or people that are affectionate with each other, but this is probably the only touch I'll ever get.

"You what?" she asks me.

"I'm broken," I say quietly. "I have been broken since I was nine years old. I was sexually abused in a field by a group of teenage boys. I've hated myself for so long, and I've never understood why I was the way I was." I have never explained this story to anyone before, but something about Eliza makes it easy. She makes me want to continue to talk. "Do you know what it feels like to be broken?" I ask her.

"More than you know," she says as she walks back to the tunnel again and leans against the entrance. A hovercraft comes and retrieves the body of Charon, my friend. I had forgotten about his death in the midst of all of this crazy. "I'm sorry about your friend," she says. "I'm still confused what you're doing here though?"

"I want to work with you," I say quickly. "I want to ally, and maybe you can help me find myself."

"What does that mean?"

"I think I'm a lesbian," I say slowly allowing the words to fall from my mouth gracefully. Eliza sits there with a shocked look on her face, and then looks around the pod and clears her throat.

"I am not a lesbian," she says softly. "That's not exactly something I can help you with."

"But you're interesting," I say finally looking up from the ground. "You make me want to live, and for the first time in my life, I think that's all I can ask for. I know I'm going to die in this arena, but I would like to get to know you in whatever way you could allow me to."

"You don't even know me," she says. "How can I make you want to live?"

"Because you have something special," I say. "I saw it in you the moment I watched you enter the training room. I saw it at the moment you were at the swords. You have a spark, and it's something that drew me to you." I say as my face looks to the ground where Charon's blood is puddled. "My friend was doing his best to support me. He was accommodating during all this."

"You can stay," she says very suddenly. "But no funny business. Strictly alliance members. I need someone to keep watch while I sleep anyway."

"Deal," I say with a smile. And for the first time in a long time, it's genuine.

 **Well! I have some exciting news. I normally wait for the top 10 to post my next prologue, but I am doing it for my new SYOT entitled Reign this evening! (I need a nap. I'm exhausted.) So be on the look out for it! I want some strong characters for that one, so I'm opening it a bit early.**

 **Eulogies**

 **17th Place: Kegn Yuehan, District 7 Male, Killed by Alia Sennett- Kegn was a solid tribute, but unfortunately he wasn't a victor. I wanted him to get through the bloodbath, and I wanted him to accomplish more in the story, but I was really confused as to how to make that happen. So Kegn had to pass.**

 **16th Place: Abigail Evolieon, District 7 Female, Killed by Alia Sennett- Dang I just realized Alia got them two kills. Abigail was a sweet tribute, but the only reason she didn't die in the bloodbath was for the pod that Carolina and them found during the beginning of the chapter. I liked Abigail, but she was too sweet and didn't have a lot of spunk or determination like my other younger tributes. RIP, and sorry Plat.**

 **15th Place: Charon Ortega, District 9 Male, Killed by Eliza Orsini- I killed Charon mainly to progress the Zea and Eliza storyline. This isn't anything to do with Tracee, and I hope you don't take it personally friend. He was an interesting character, and I enjoyed him. RIP**

 **Be on the look out for Reign!**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	25. And they all came crashing down

**If you're a chapter skimmer, I suggest you read everything.**

 **Otherwise, you're going to be hella confused later on.**

 **Also, if you need, I'd re-read the subplot chapters.**

 **Yeah, a lot is happening.**

 **I apologize for nothing.**

* * *

 **Chen Chu, 17**

 **District 11 Male**

* * *

You'd think in a game that has you vying for your life that you'd have a lot more movement involved. In actuality, it's a lot of waiting. Waiting for the Gamemakers to be tired of you. Waiting for the careers to track you down and find you. Waiting for the world as you know it to come crashing down.

I've never been good at waiting.

Alina has been taking the death of Kellar hard. She's been sitting in a corner and closing her eyes a lot. Hyssop and I had tried to help her when she was upset, but she just stares at us with a sad look on her face.

"I knew it was going to happen," she says from her corner. "It's day 2, and there's only 14 of us left. This is moving so quickly."

"Well, the arena isn't designed for a long time of hiding and hunting," says Hyssop as she straightens her back out and then lets out a moan as she stretches. "In the past, the Gamemakers liked to draw this out, but it seems this year that they're trying to push things long," she says.

That's two things I hadn't thought about. That's probably not surprising for someone like me, but there is a lot going on in these games. We've had a career death, which is pretty lucky in a morbid way, and eight other deaths and it hasn't even been three days.

"What do you think is going to happen today?" asks Alina nervously. "We are on the third day. We have a lot that we are going to have to overcome. Not to mention I imagine them doing a feast soon. Since things are moving so quickly for whatever reason."

"I actually considered that myself," I say lying to the girls. They don't need to know I'm not as observant as they are. "I think that could happen today or tomorrow. It depends on how bored the Gamemakers are and how fast their project is needing to be completed."

I look at both of the girls, hoping that that sounded as intelligent as I wanted it to and they nod. There's a tense feeling in the atmosphere. So thick you could reach out and touch it.

"Well let the games play on then," says Hyssop sadly. "Let the games play on."

* * *

 **Katherine Farrow**

 **Rebel on the Run**

* * *

"Pine!" I say as I run over to him and embrace him. He and Elena have been on their way for awhile now. It's been a solid week since we've been in District 13. I didn't miss this place at all since the last time I've been there, but it's good for Adela and Alma to be around people their age.

"We've had a very long journey," says Elena holding their child that is fast asleep wrapped in a pink blanket. "Is there anywhere I can go to put her down?" she asks me hopefully.

"Alma can show you to our room," I say. "They'll assign you a place when they register you all in the system."

Alma and Elena walk off and down the long ramp leading to the housing sector in the District. Clyde, Lenovo, Sailor and I are left staring at Kieran and Pine in an awkward silence. Kieran clears his throat, and he appears to want to talk, but stops himself before he does.

"Let it out," I say calmly. "I'm a big girl I can take it."

He looks at me and tears starts to fill his eyes, and he hits his fist on the wall. Blood is left in the spot he ran, and he falls to his knees. "How could you just leave her behind?!" he growls. "She was on the way! She had to go into hiding, and she is dead now because of you!" he screams staring at me.

I walk over to him and wrap him in a hug. He falls into me and just sobs. We sit like that for awhile. The room isn't filled with awkward silence, but remorse and mourning for Cassadee. There's been so much loss over the past year. The heart can only take so much heartbreak.

When Kieran stops crying, he sits up straight, and he looks me in the eye and hugs me back. "I know it's not your fault," he says. "It's that bitch, Alexandra. I can't believe we let so much slip past us back in security. How she ever got to the point where she could overthrow you I'll never know."

We're all standing around, and then Pine pulls out a USB drive and toys with it in his fingers. "Cassadee wanted me to give this to you," he says looking at me. "I know that there is a lot going on right now, but we really should move on this and not wait."

We all nod and walk towards the ramp. Lenovo takes the disk in his hand and lets out a loud groan. "Oh my gosh this thing is ancient! And it's covered in makeup, Pine!" he snaps at his previous mentor. "What the hell?!"

"Nice to see you too, Lenovo," says Pine with a chuckle as we make our way into the main computer room for District 13.

* * *

 **Tahan Jacobs**

 **Prison Councillor**

* * *

Acting like Latricia Eldridge is not an easy task. The woman is not only batshit crazy, but she's sadistic. I've had to watch kids die in these games for 33, and now I'm having to act like I'm enjoying it. I hope that Katherine knows what she's doing.

"I'm bored," I say looking at the Gamemakers surrounding me with an annoying glance. I practice in the mirror with the facemask on to make sure it's Latricia enough for the public. The funny part is since we've kidnapped her, she's been helping me embody her.

 _If you're going to act like me and portray me in public, you better be able to hold right to me._ She had always said from the chained up position on my bed. Davantae had a lot of sexual jokes to make about that, but I've had none of it.

He told me what the plan was and I almost laughed. It was so crazy, but when I realized he was serious, and this is what had to be done, I felt instant nerves start to build up. The original plan was for Paisley to switch places with Latricia. Her goal was to push the games to go through as quickly as possible; a bad games makes for a bad presidential term.

However, due to her condition, she is unable to complete her part of the assignment. Which is why Cassadee brought me in. My absence from my job is explained by the fact that Paisley is going through an extensive rehabilitation program, and I am the one leading the exercises.

"Fix it. I want something to happen. These games are moving way to slow. I need excitement. I need danger. I need action! I need to see someone's head roll."

"Yeah," says my assistant Gamemaker. "Here's the thing. Alexandra wants us to slow down," she says with her annoying bubbly tone.

Katherine better be the utmost grateful to me for putting up with this. This assistant is the most incompetent woman I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

"Who is the head Gamemaker here?" I ask in the most authoritative voice I can muster out. "Because last time I checked, it was me. So start the feast, dammit." I say waving my hands.

The assistant Gamemakers start to type on the screen furiously as they begin to get the settings in the arena right for the feast. With any luck, the main room will end up cracking, and the place will flood, causing the tunnels to be the only line of communication.

"Change Tesla's settings as well," I say. "She can be asked where people are now."

* * *

 **Rhea Sanger, 18**

 **District 8 Female**

* * *

Jute has been unnaturally quiet as we sit in the pod. He's gotten up a few times to use the bathroom a couple of tunnels down, but that's been the only times he's talked to me. I don't know if it's because he's getting ready to kill me, or if the games are just taking a toll on him.

"How are you doing?" I asked attempting to break the awkward silence.

"Fine," he says slowly as he looks at the exit of the pod. It's a long maroon hallway that has three exits of the hall that allow for quick escapes if someone is coming from the farthest end. If they come from one of the exits though, we are screwed.

"Just fine?" I ask sadly. "This isn't like you dude, and if I'm going to die in a few days probably, I need to know that you're mentally okay. Because I don't think it's right not to be yourself if you're going to pass on. And you're always bubbly and full of life, so I want that back, please." I say.

It's childish to expect him to be the way he was on the trains and the suite. I know that I'm wrong for expecting that, but I need some since of normalcy to hold onto. Nothing has been easy since arriving in the Capitol. Even though I don't trust Jute, I don't want him to slip into a depression. He reminded me of the vibrantness of home.

"I was just expecting to wake up," he says. "I was expecting the alarm to sound and me to wake up from this nightmare." Tears are welling up in his eyes as he looks over at me. "People are actually dead. People that I've spent the last week with are gone, and the only memory their families are going to remember of them is how they died."

"I know what you mean," I whisper.

And the truth is I do. I have shed tears for every single person who's appeared on the walls of the pod at night. The one that hit the hardest for me was the little girl from 7. Her bright smile in her picture made it all the more sad to realize that she's dead and gone now.

"I don't know if I want to make it out at this point," says Jute sadly. "I think I'd be okay if I died."

Footsteps begin to echo in the halls around us, and both of us spring to our feet. We have our bags packed and are ready to exit the room when a Tesla starts to round the corner, and Carolina is trodding slowly behind her. She keeps looking behind her back as if she's scared she's being followed, but when she sees us in the pod, she perks up.

"Wait, are you going to kill me?" she asks. "Cause I can just start running now I suppose."

"We aren't going to kill you," I say dropping the knife and walking towards her. "I've been worried about you. I was so scared I was going to see your picture during the bloodbath, but then I saw Adam's appear and I breathed a little sigh."

"Yeah," says Carolina quickly. "The girl from 2 took care of him. She threw an apple."

"Weren't you with people?" asks Jute quickly. Something inside of him seemed to return to normal as he looks at the 12-year-old before him. "What happened to the pair from 7?"

"We were using Tesla-"

"Hi! I'm Tesla," says Tesla staring at all of us with that same blank smile she's had the whole week in the Capitol.

"We were using her to find food, and the pair from 4 was already in the room. They killed Kegn instantly, but they hesitated with me and Abigail enough to let us run. I managed to get away…" she says as she trails off and begins to cry. "Abigail wasn't so lucky."

"You poor thing!" I say as I wrap her in a hug. She starts to sob, and I watch as Jute looks panicked at the sight of the crying girl. "You must feel so scared having to do all of this by yourself."

She sniffles, and she looks like she's about to say something when Latricia Eldridge's voice appears over the intercom.

"Hello Tributes," she says. "I must say that I'm incredibly bored with all of you. Hiding in pods is not the way to have a fantastic Hunger Games. It's day 3, and I'm ready to see some heads roll." she pauses and then her face appears on the wall. She's surrounded by Gamemakers typing furiously in the control room. I instantly get shivers as I watch her sadistic smile on the screen. "We will be having our feast today. Only this time, it's not optional. Those who aren't there will have wherever they are flooded out. So what's it going to be tributes? Die by drowning? Or risk getting a great reward? Be at the main pod in an hour."

Her screen clicks off, and we are left staring at each other blankly. Something about this feels tragic. Like this is going to be the last time I see any of them before we die. I know I don't know Carolina that well, but I trust her a lot more than I trust Jute. If given a choice on who to save, I don't think I would choose Jute.

"Well, we should get walking then," says Jute slowly. "Tesla," he says turning to AI. "Can you lead us to the cornucopia?"

"Of course!" she says like it's the most absurd question she's ever head, and then takes off walking.

* * *

 **Eliza Orsini, 18**

 **District 1 Female**

* * *

This girl is freaking me out. Last night I woke up to her trying to cuddle me. _Cuddle me._ This is the Hunger Games. I'm not interested in cuddles. Even if it weren't the Hunger Games, I still wouldn't be interested. It's not how I'm wired. I don't even think I like boys that much, but I know I for sure don't like females.

"Eliza," says Zea as she eats some of the food I managed to steal from the bloodbath. "What are we going to do about the feast?"

I'm honestly hoping that someone comes and kills her. I know I can take on any of the people that are left in this arena. The only one that really scares me is Maisla, but even then, she seems to overconfident for me to be genuinely anxious about her. She looks like she'd make rookie mistakes.

"We try and get in and get out. Maybe take someone out in the process." I say nonchalantly as I bite into the banana that I've had stored in my bag. I've tried dropping subtle innuendos like that since I stupidly agreed to let this girl into my alliance if you can even call it that.

"I'm happy we have each other," says Zea with a smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Honey."

Woah, what?

"What did you just call me?" I ask her staring at her confused.

"Honey? Isn't that what you call someone when you're together?" There's something in her eyes that tells me she's not all there anymore. I don't know if it's the stress of the games, or her lousy life finally catching up with her, but something is off about the girl as she talks to me right now.

"We aren't together," I say firmly staring at her still. I wrap my hand around the knife attached to my pants just in case I have to use it quickly.

"What do you mean, Babe?" she asks me with a crazy laugh. "Don't be silly. Of course, we are together."

"No, we arent."

"YES WE ARE!" she screams as she gets up and hurls the food backpack at the wall. "I've finally found someone I love, and you're not going to tell me no! I'm happy for the first time!"

"We are not together," I say again firmly. "Let's make one thing straight. If it came down to us in the final 2, I would kill you without skipping a heartbeat. We are in the Hunger Games. This is where shit hits the fan, Zea. Stop living in this childish daydream and get lost! I should have never let you in the alliance with me. I should have killed you the first day."

Out of nowhere, Zea pulls out a machete. I freeze as I stare at her. I quickly pull my knife out of my holder as she stares at me with her eyes going wild. Tears start to flood her eyes, and then she plunges the knife into her chest and starts to drag it down toward her stomach.

"Oh my gosh!" I scream and fall to the ground and begin to back away.

Zea grabs ahold of her heart and then looks me dead in the eye as the rest of her organs spill out. "Since you stole it anyway," and she flings it towards me as she falls to the ground. The cannon sounds, and I'm frozen in shock, and by the time I realize the water is rising the doors already more than halfway closed.

"Shit!" as I run over to the weapons I have and quickly start putting things on my shoulders. When I'm done packing the door is almost all the way closed. I take the spear I used to kill the boy from District 5 and lodge it into the small hole between the closing of the door and the ceiling. The glass starts to feel the resistance and begins to budge, but the door is about to win.

The water is at my waist now, and I feel tears start to well up in my eyes as I watch the red colored water slowly rise more towards my face.

"No damn it!" I scream and with all my might slam my body weight down on the spear. A crack appears in the glass, and my heart starts to swell as I pull the spear from the hole and with the last amount of water free space I have, lunge at the glass door with it. The glass breaks and water starts to flood into the main room.

Almost immediately the doors to the other pods begin to close, and I run and dive into the next pod over, barely clearing the space with my body and all my supplies. I watch as the tributes that were hiding in the central pod make it into separate pods, but I watch as one girl, the girl from 5, fails to get into the pod with her friends.

She frantically looks around for an open pod and starts to beat on the glass of the pods as the water starts to fill the cornucopia. I see Kyper and Maisla a few pods down, both standing at the doors smiling as they watch the girl panic. The girl begins to float to the top of glass, and she seems to be holding some knife. She maneuvers over to a crack in the top and begins to beat on it until it finally gives way and she wiggles through. The entire central area of the arena is flooded in as she swims to the surface.

I watch as she almost makes it to the top when a giant earthworm looking monster shoots up from the ground. It's ridiculously fast as it rips up through the water, and with one fluid motion, opens it's mouth and eats the girl whole. He swims back down to the surface when he's done and goes back to the camouflage of the ground.

I sink to the floor and realize my heart has not stopped beating the whole time. For the first time in several years, I felt something. It was as if a switch had finally been turned back on, and years of neglected emotions fill me. I always thought I didn't fear death, but my heart is bursting with emotion as I sink down into the floor and begin to cry. I curl up into a ball and think of the girl that just killed herself because I rejected her love. She might have been a bit psychotic, but no one deserves to be talked about how I spoke to her.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper as the sobs continue to come from me. An activity I had forgotten I could do.

* * *

 **Kyper Bridges, 18**

 **District 2 Male**

* * *

"Is that Tesla?" I ask as I stare through the water and see the group from 8 and the girl from 12 standing a few pods away. Her unmistakeable outfit was the thing that caught my attention. I usually only have eyes for my reflection, but this time I got a little more excited to see something so helpful in this arena.

"Tesla?" calls Maisla as she stares at the empty air.

"Hi!" says the AI with a smile as she appears next to us. She's still over with the two from 8 and the girl from 12 as well.

"What can you do in here?" I ask immediately.

"Well, Kyper, I can do a lot of things," says Tesla with a giant smile. "I can show you to food, locations, other tributes."

I get a sinister smile on my face as I look around. The girl and boy from 11 are in the next pod overlooking exceptionally scared. As I make my way over to the glass to stare at them, the two begin to run towards the tunnel, as if I could break the glass and climb through the barrier right now.

"Show me to them," I say pointing at the two. "I think 11 has been around too long in this game."

Maisla hasn't said anything, which surprises me as she just follows Tesla and me through the tunnels. When we arrive at this little fork in the road, Tesla points her hand down the tunnel and smiles. "They're to the right," she says. "It's a dead end."

* * *

 **Hyssop Leavy, 16**

 **District 11 Female**

* * *

We hear them before we see them. The boy from District 2 runs down the hallway screaming in glee as he makes his way to our little dead-end pod. I wish we would have gone the other way.

"Chen, what are we going to do?" I ask as I watch him with sad eyes. I'm holding on to a natural powder they placed into the arena that helps calm anxiety. I take a smell of it before I hear the footsteps get too close, and I stand against the back end of the pod. Chen joins me with a wimpy knife, and we watch as the boy from 2 walks in. The girl from 2 follows slowly behind him. She has her eyes down as she walks in. Not looking at either me or Chen.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Witchy McGee and Jackie Chan," says the boy from 2.

"If you're going to kill us at least be tactful," I spit at him. "You're a gross human being."

"I'll save you for last then," he says as he flicks his wrist and a ninja star embeds itself into Chen's skull. He falls to the ground with that same blank stare that he's had the whole time we've been in the games together. My heart starts to swell, and then I remember that the boy from 2 is about to kill me.

Grabbing ahold of the powder I have in my hand I open it slowly as he walks towards me menacingly. I take the powder and hurl it at his face. He screams and that gives me enough time to run. Unfortunately, not fast enough.

I'm only able to run a couple of seconds before he's on top of me and flipping me over. He holds a knife in the air with a massive smile on his face as I close my eyes and wait for the blow to come, but instead of getting a knife in my body, I get a face full of blood.

I open my eyes to see Maisla standing over him with a conflicted face on. She had just killed her District partner. If she makes it home, she's sure to get a lot of backlash for her actions in the games.

"We're even witch girl," she says as she turns and walks away.

"Wait," I call.

I get up from the position on the floor and look after her. She stops and turns. "I don't want to be alone," I say sadly.

"We are in the top 9, 11," she says softly. "We are all alone right now." she turns again and walks off. Leaving me in a pod with two dead boys. I wait for her to leave altogether, and then I begin to walk down the fork in the road. I decided that this time I'll go with my gut and turn to the left.

I walk down the hall and end up in a solo pod. I sink down to the ground, and I can't stop shaking as I let out a loud whimper. I start to scream and hit my fist on the floor in frustration and before I know it, I begin to hear footsteps again.

I don't move. There's no point this time. I don't have it in me to fight this time. As I wait for my killer to come into the room, I see the girl from District 6 peek her head around the corner. "Are you okay?" she asks me.

I look at her, and then instantly just start to sob. She comes over to me and holds her hands up in the air. "I'm not holding any weapons," she says as she gets on her knees and she wraps me in a hug. I fall into her, and she just sits there while I sob.

A long time passes. So long I actually can't say. When I pull away, she gives me a soft smile. "I lost my friend too," she says.

"You saw?" I ask her confused. My voice is still shakey as I sniffle.

"No, but I heard the cannon, and then your cries," she says. "I was hoping that you were a mutt because you sounded in such pain. So I was sad actually to see you there. You're the first person I've seen since the bloodbath."

"The first person?" I ask surprised. My voice is finally getting back to a rough sense of normalcy.

"Well, I saw the boy from District 10, but he had a weird thing in the ground that seemed almost to be stalking him. I followed him for awhile, just incase he needed help, but I went to sleep one night, and when I woke up he was wrapped in some huge web. I wanted to go help, but I couldn't see what made the web, and I wasn't about to die by some oversized creepy crawly."

"We should go find him," I say. "How long ago was he trapped in this web?"

"I left him yesterday. He was unconscious."

I nod my head, and we start our way back from the way the girl from District 6 came.

"My name is Talia," she says. "Just thought you should know that I guess."

"My name is Hyssop. Nice to meet you." I say. "Also, thank you, you know, for not being scared of me like everyone else. You people have really given me a new sense of what people are like outside my district. It's good to know you aren't all hypocrites and bigots."

"We all have our quirks, Hyssop. Let me tell you about my friend, Vinegar Tits."

* * *

 **Pike Macintire, 18**

 **District 10 Male**

* * *

I wake up inside of a cocoon-like object. It's dark inside of the room, and I have no idea how long I've been out. I hear movement on whatever I'm on, but I'm too confused and discombobulated to see what is going on.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Hello," says a sultry female voice.

A woman with the legs of a spider and the top half of her body like a supermodel comes into view. She smiles when she sees me awake. "I chose you," she says with a big smile. "I chose you to be my king. We will rule this entire arena together, Pike."

"What do you mean?" I ask with a shakey voice.

The truth of the matter is I don't know if I'm turned on right now, or nervous. She's a total babe from the top half, but anything artificial can't be good. Especially in the Hunger Games. She walks over and touches my chin, and I feel a warmth enter my body. She smiles as she kisses my cheek. Yes, I'm slightly turned on right now.

"You're going to help me, my King." she says as she bows to me. "We have a lot of work to do in this arena, and I think that you're the perfect candidate. They showed me how you were in the interview. It was very sexy how you stood up for yourself."

My reasoning starts to disappear as I listen to her voice more. It's a gorgeous sound. It makes me think of home, and also it's just really nice to see a beautiful woman here in the Hunger Games.

"You're not going to kill me?" I ask

"Oh no, Pike," she says with a light, airy voice. "I'm going to make you whole. You'll be mine, and I'll be yours. We'll never have to listen to anyone ever again,"

She gets closer to me, and I feel her breath on my face and instantly start to melt. She's so smoking hot I don't even know how I got so lucky as to get wrapped up in this web. "Kiss me, Pike," she says

I lean my face forward, and she kisses me.

* * *

 **Talia Maglev, 17**

 **District 6 Female**

* * *

"I feel like I'm watching a cheap porno." says Hyssop as she watches the spider and the boy from 10 continue to suck face as he's tied up. She begins to change colors. At first, she was skin toned, but now her skin turns as black as coal. She pulls back and then spits a purple liquid onto the boy from 10.

Before our eyes, he begins to change, and he suddenly starts to sprout legs from the cocoon. Soon we are looking at a male version of the thing that roped him into the web. A cannon sounds, but Pike is still standing.

He looks more developed, more attractive. He has a beautiful body and his shirt with the number on it came off. He looks over at the female spider thing and bows. "My beautiful queen," he says looking at her. "What will you have me do first?"

"I sense that there are two brats around this area," she says with a snarl. "Find them and bring them to me. We have a lot of work to do, Pike," she says as she comes to him and plants a kiss on his lips. This time, however, he's able to use his hands, and he pulls her closer. We are watching a full-on make-out session as we watch the two.

"Well, I mean, there are worse ways to die." I suppose staring at Hyssop with a grossed out look.

"We need to run," she says. "Now." and we take off down the hall. We hear the little pattering of footsteps on the ceiling, and I can't help but let out a loud scream. District 10 drops to the floor in front of us. He has a seductive face on, and what scares me is I'm kind of into it.

"Hello ladies," he says with a smirk,

"Oh my gosh, he's a typical fuck boy," I say as Hyssop, and I try to separate and run in opposite directions. He blocks our paths and then looks at both of us.

"Come to the party is just getting started," he says.

"I have nothing back home for me," says Hyssop. "You better run like hell," she says as she runs over to District 10 and plants a big kiss on his lips. He grabs her, and they begin to make out, only for him to change form his skin tone, to the coal black color. He pulls back, and she looks discombobulated, but still semi-alert.

"Run," she whispers as the purple gunk hits her in the face.

I begin to run, and this time I don't hear people following me. I listen to footsteps heading in the opposite direction, and then Hyssop's cannon comes off.

"Thank you," I whisper as I continue to run like hell down the hall.

* * *

 **Lenovo Cane, 19**

 **Victor of the 31st Game**

* * *

"You know what would be great right now?" I ask Sailor staring at her. "Coffee."

"You have two hands," she says looking at me. "You can get it."

"You're the only one that isn't working on the launch codes, Sailor," I respond to her. "Two creams and one sugar please," I say with a wink. She rolls her eyes and gets up and walks out of the room. Katherine and I have been hovered over the keyboard hacking into the server for the space ship from last years games for hours now.

"We're going to hell for this," she says. "I wish there was another way."

"There's no time for backing out now," I say. "We mess the games up, we get Davantae to cause a riot in front of the mansion, and we bring the ship down. There are no other options." I say. "We have to do this. We have to take her out of power for good."

* * *

 **Aeron Caloss, 18**

 **District 4 Male**

* * *

"There are so many cannons going off!" screams Alia. "What the hell is going on?!"

"This is going by so quickly," I say. "If I counted correctly, we are now in the top 8."

The walls start to change, and a beautiful female with spider legs appear on the screen. She is standing in front of the girl from 11 and the boy from 10. They're beautiful now. Like physically stunning.

"Damn," says Alia staring at them. "Death did them well."

"I don't even have abs like that," I say as I stare at the boy from District 10.

"Hello Tributes," she says. "My name is Andromeda. I'm an obvious mutation created by the Capitol for these games. Our goal is to turn four of you into us. We will serve as guards for the final battle. I hope you guys are ready because we just turned this into a wild game of survival. If you get caught by us, you better be one hell of a fighter. Because we know we are." she looks over at the two spider things behind her. "Hyssop, Pike, go on the hunts my loves."

And both of them take off from their Queen.

 **Well, this was a lot. Sorry about all of this. I'm actually not though because I enjoy this. So, that was the reason that we have been blowing through these games. My babes are pushing it forward quickly. So, sorry if you're upset. I'm not though because I knew this was going to happen. I feel everyone got at least a little chance to shine throughout the story.**

 **Eulogies**

 **14th Place: Zea Demeters, District 9 Female, Suicide (Or broken heart)- Zea was my little wild card. When I first got her, I didn't want to do much with her. But I saw this lovely short story with Eliza, and it just took off. I loved Zea, Red. I really did. Thank you for giving me another great character.**

 **13th Place: Alina Brightley, District 5 Female, Eaten by Giant Water Worm- Babe, I've already told you Alina wasn't winning. I told you her death. I told you I was excited about it. You know. Love you though, excited to get married soon.**

 **12th Place: Chen Chu, District 11 Male, Killed by Kyper Bridges. Chen ran his course. He probably should have died earlier, but I kept him around because I liked the dynamic with Hyssop. Chen was fun. Just not a victor. RIP**

 **11th Place: Kyper Bridges, District 2 Male, Killed by Maisla Delisse- I had a rough time deciding this. I knew Hyssop was going to die this chapter, but Maisla needed this growth. And her dynamic with Kyper, though fun, was getting overdone. I didn't want to overkill on something that ran its course. So now we have a sassy District 2 female with growth. Thanks, Tigress and Pine. Appreciate you guys.**

 **10th Place: Pike Macintire, District 10 Male, Killed by Andromeda- I honestly didn't know what to do with Pike, and then I remembered that we had this plot at the end I'm SUPER excited about. However, I think that Pike could have had a better ending. So Celtic I'm sorry. I know I do this sometimes with tributes, but I want to try and get better. Maybe I should try a partial.**

 **9th Place: Hyssop Leavy, District 11 Female, Killed by Pike Macintire- Hyssop wasn't supposed to die here. However, I saw this, and I just really felt like this was her swan dive. LCS, I think this is the first time you've made a single digit placement in my story. Thank you for submitting! I always like your submissions. So this was fun.**

 **Now that we are in this massive game of psychoticness, I'm excited. The games are ending next chapter. And my story will progress.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	26. The Finale

**I've gotten mixed reviews on last chapter, and to be honest, I expected that.**

 **I meant no disrespect at all for killing people quickly.**

 **In fact, it was quite the opposite. And though I know my games go rather quickly.**

 **They've never gone that quickly.**

 **Well, here is the finale, yes you will have a Victor at the end of this.**

* * *

 **Mutant Pike**

 **Undead Slave Minion**

* * *

"Run, run, run as fast as you can!" I call down the halls of the tunnels. I don't know if there are actually tributes here or not, but I'm absolutely enjoying the thrill of finding out. "You can run, but you can't hide." I call down the halls. "Not from me!"

I close my eyes and strain my ears to listen to the sounds around me. There is a lot of movement throughout the arena that I can hear. However, I want to know who is the closest. If I can figure that out, then I'll be able to bring more minions to Andromeda and Hyssop will remain as just a lowly peasant and not her favorite. That title belongs to me.

I hear footsteps 50 yards away from me and take off down the tunnels. I try to be quiet as I'm running, but in all honesty, I'm still trying to get used to having eight legs. It's weird because I can fully remember everything about my old life. It just doesn't matter to me anymore now that I have Andromeda in my life.

"Tribute," I say as I round the corner and see the pair from 8 and the girl from 12. My eyebrows raise in anticipation and excitement. "Tributes," I say as I sprint forward full speed ahead.

The girl from 12 is the first person to notice me. She takes a sharp turn down a corridor and grabs the girl from 8 to turn with her. She, in turn, grabs the boy from 8, who noticed a little too late and had to keep running straight.

"Jute!" screams his District partner from down the other corridor.

"It was you or me anyway Rhea!" he screams back as he continues to run. I decide to follow him, mostly because he isn't fast, and I quickly jet past him and block him from going any further down the hall. He pauses and stares at me.

"Pike, you don't want to do this."

"What I want is to be loved by Andromeda," I say forcefully. "And you're one of the only things standing in the way for me to do so. I need to take you in. Are we going to do this the easy way, or the painful way?"

He turns around and starts running in the opposite direction, sprinting in and out of the tunnels. "It's always the hard way with life and death situations," I say with an eye roll as I follow my prey down the many halls he's weaving through. When I finally have him in my sights again, he is sitting against a dead end wall with his face in his hands. He gives me a defeated look and stares up at me with a frown.

"Make it quick, dude."

"I don't want to kiss another dude," I say. "So stand still," I say. I begin to get the purple liquid that does the transformation building up in my mouth when all of the sudden the kid tries to take down the hall again. He slides past me, and I shoot out a web that sticks him to the wall. He screams out in pain as he makes an impact on the wall and I begin to make my way towards him.

"You idiot," I say as I punch him in the back. "I'm trying to make you better. I'm trying to make you excel in life! I'm bringing you into the love of Andromeda. You should be thanking me."

"Eat shit," he says as I spit the purple gunk on his face. He falls unconscious and stick him onto my back and attach him with a web. I close my eyes again, and I listen for the sounds of footsteps. A path starts to form in my head towards the closest set of steps. About 15 yards away is someone running. This one is crying though. It sounds like a female. I take off down the hall and see the girl from 6 standing in the hallway. She sees me and lets out a loud scream.

She begins to run, but once again my prey isn't very fast. Not for me at least. I run up behind her and tackle her to the ground. She screams and tries to wiggle free, but it's useless against the strength this new body gives me.

"Please!" she screams. "Please don't kill me! Please, please, please, please!" she says with tears welling up. "I don't want to die! I'm not ready!"

"You idiot girl," I say with an annoyed tone. "I am going to make you into a new creation! Look at your friend!" I say as I turn around and allow her to look at the boy from District 8. "His body is already changing. Look at his beautiful features being distinguished from his once puny mortal body! I'm going to make you alive! For the love of Andromeda!"

"I don't want Andromeda-" she begins as I plant my lips on hers. She lets out a giant scream, and I finally pull away and spit the gunk on her face. She begins to scream louder and tries to shake it off, but the venom is already taking effect as I pull the girl up and attach her.

 _Good job, my love._ I hear Andromeda's voice in my head.

"What do you want me to do now?" I ask out loud.

 _Come home darling. There is work to be done._

* * *

 **Mutant Hyssop**

 **Undead Slave Minion**

* * *

 _Pike has already brought me two tributes, Hyssop. You're slacking._

"I'm sorry, my Queen," I say as I begin to move down the hallway frantically. I must find a tribute. I can't let Andromeda down. I start to slow down and listen to my surroundings as I weave in and out of the hallway when I end up on the pair from 4 accidentally. The girl looks at me with a frightened expression, while the boy seems impressed.

"Dead girls shouldn't be hot." says the boy from 4. "It goes against nature."

"I can make you hot," I say with a wink and a smile as I move towards him slowly. "I can make you look like me. We can be beautiful together."

"Thanks, but I got someone back home," he says with a shrug. "Maybe next time though."

He and the girl turn around and dash down the hallway. I follow them and start shooting webs at them from all different angles. The girl is nimble and impressive with the ways that she dodges the webs while still moving forward. The boy, however, is a little more clumsy. Not as focused.

I decide that my target will be the boy, although I would like to bring both of them back to my Queen.

I begin to keep shooting webs until finally, I hit the boy's foot. He falls to the ground as he attempts to run, and the girl turns around and begins to cut him free. I speed up my run, and she slashes at one of my legs. I scream as black blood starts to ooze from my leg and watch as she helps the boy up and they begin to run again. I speed into more of a gallop and end up right behind the two. Pouncing on the boy, he falls to the ground again, and he looks at her.

"Run!" he says. "I'll catch up!"

"I'm not leaving you!" says the girl from 4.

"Leave! Now!" he says as he punches me in the face. I let out a shriek and then slam his head into the ground. He screams, and not wanting to waste time I kiss him on the lips and slip the gunk from my mouth into his. He tries to cough it up, but his body starts to change as he directly inhaled the venom.

 _Good work, love._ Says Andromeda in my head. _Now bring me one more!_

I attached the boy to my back, and then begin to listen again. I hear a light walk a couple of tunnels over. I run towards the sound and expect to see the girl from 4, but instead, I see the girl from District 2.

"Witch girl? Is that you?"

"Hello, Maisla." I say. "You gave me life, and now I want to give you a new one. Come with me. I can save you!"

"Bitch you thought," she says with a weird look on her face. "I'm good where I'm at thanks."

"Suit yourself," I say as I sprint towards her. She dashes away and slashes her sword at my leg. I let out a scream as I fall to the ground in pain. My leg lies limp on the floor, but the boy from 4 has already turned.

"Sister, let me free." he says. "I want to bring in this weak mortal."

"Weak? Boy, yet I'm still alive?" she says with a cock of her head. "Listen here, you can either both die, or both walk away. Either way, I'm not coming-"

I spit the venom in her face, and she falls to the ground trying to wipe it up. "You talk way too much, friend." I say as I watch her begin to panic as her body begins to take on the venom. "You really should work on that. Andromeda wouldn't like to see you talking back to people.

"Thank you for saving me." says the boy from 4 with a shake of his hand. "My name is Aeron."

"My name is Hyssop." I say with a smile. "Pick up this girl and bring her back to the queen. We have work to be done. Everything is coming to fruition right now. It's time for the grand finale."

* * *

 **Andromeda**

 **Spider Queen**

* * *

"Well a big congratulations to the top 4." I say. My face appears on the walls, and I can see the last remaining tributes. "Congratulations to Eliza of District 1, Alia of District 4, Rhea of District 8, and Carolina of District 12. Here is how this is going to work. 1 of you is going to leave this arena alive. 3 of you are going to turn into food for me and my minions. I hope you've been eating well since the start of the games." I say with a laugh.

I can see the fear on each of their faces. The girl from 1 has a new found confidence. She was almost the first victim of my plan before she broke down. I admired her strength, and now she's just a wimp. The girl from 4 has a look of anxiety on her face. She continually is looking around trying to piece together what's going to happen next. Her over analytics are going to be what does her in. The girls from 8 and 12 are a weird bunch. I see their relationship. The girl from 8 needs District 12 much more than the girl from 12 needs the girl from 8.

"Meet at the food area." I say. "Tesla"

"Yes, Queen Andromeda?" says the AI with the same stupid smile on her face.

"Lead each of the tributes to the food room." I say as she nods and disappears.

* * *

 **Alia Sennett, 18**

 **District 4 Female**

* * *

I'm the first person to appear in the food room. Tesla disappears, and I watch as one by one each of the remaining girls show up in the room. Eliza is the first to appear, and she nods at me respectfully. "Until the end?" she asks me.

"I can't make that promise." I say.

She nods in understanding as the girl from 12, and the girl from 8 appear in the room. Once they've arrived Andromeda's voice comes over the loudspeaker in the arena. "Tributes, it's time for you guys to die." she says matter of factly. "Well, all except one of you." she says. "You really should have just let my minions bring you into the kingdom. It's a much better fate than seventy-five percent of you are about to experience."

I look around at the other four girls. I think that I have a pretty good chance to win if I can get Eliza out first. After Eliza is dead, everything else will be a lot simpler.

"It's a free for all." says Andromeda. "When I say go, you will start. The last person standing will win the Hunger Games this year. On your mark, get set, go!" screams Andromeda.

* * *

 **The Victor**

* * *

We all leap into action, whether that is offensively or defensively. We all race towards opposite directions and my primary goal is to find a weapon. I need to be able to defend myself in case these girls try to come at me.

The girl from 8 is surprisingly the first to strike as she throws a knife in my direction. I scream in surprise and dodge the knife. I run towards her, and the girl from 12 tried to jump on my back. I throw her down, and she lands on the ground with a loud crack. She screams as she grabs her arm.

"You're hurting her!" screams the girl from 8 as she attempts to punch me in the face. I grab her fist and twist it. I hear a crack as her wrist breaks, and she screams again. The girl from 12 is back up, and she tries to kick me in the knee, but I grab her neck and sharply twist. A cannon sounds, and she falls to the ground dead.

"Carolina!" screams the girl from 8 as she tries to run away. I throw a knife, and it lands into the back of her head, and she falls to the ground with a loud thud. I instantly spin around to see the last member of my competition. She stands at the back sitting on a pile of food and starts to applaud as she stands up.

"Couldn't help?" I ask her as she smirks at me.

"You seemed to have a pretty good handle on things." she says with a shrug. "From the first time I saw you I always knew it would be us two in the final 2."

"I always had the same thoughts. You were intimidating." I say. "May the best girl and District win."

"May the best girl and District win." she returns as she picks up the closest weapon to her, which happens to be a spear, and comes running in my direction. She jabs towards my face, but I'm able to sidestep her and pull onto the spear. She falls a little bit, and my knee can make an impact on her stomach. She lets out a hard gasp as she jerks back instantly, and gives me enough time to look around and see a sword lying on the floor. I pick it up, and I can see the uneasy face she has on as she slowly comes towards me again.

"This is going to be interesting." she says.

"Don't worry. I'll tell your family you were a valiant warrior." She lunges again at me, and I dodge and manage to use my sword to chop at her spear. It breaks in half, and she looks scared and then decides to use the two halves as a sword herself. She starts to swing her make-shift dual blades, and I continue to counter and deflect as she does so. I study her movements to look for weakness and notice that she's not very good with two weapons in her hand.

I duck and fall back into a somersault, and she falls forward. I use this as an opportunity to strike and chop her left wrist clear off. She screams as her hand lies limp on the ground, and quickly gets up. She grabs the bladed side of the spear and hurls it at me. I wasn't expecting the speed of the spear to be so fast, and it lodged in my leg. I let out a pained scream, and then quickly rip it out as she moves towards me.

She starts to sprint forward and jumps into the air with her fist raised, and I merely just hold out my sword. Her eyes widen in terror as her stomach becomes impaled on the blade, and she sinks to the ground, my sword still in her stomach. She takes a few breaths and nods in my general direction. "Congratulations." she manages to get out before her cannon sounds.

"Panem!" says Letricia Eldridge, "I give you the Victor of this year's Hunger Games, Eliza Orsini!"

I fall to the ground upon hearing those words and look at the three dead girls that lie in lumps around me. I begin to shake as I realize that I'm going home, but I also had to give up so much to make it there.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper as I begin to sob looking at Alia lying on the ground. Her hand is lying just a few feet away. "I'm so sorry."

The minion spiders begin to drag the dead tributes away when the hovercrafts zoom down and zap them. They quickly scooped up the dead tributes, and then kill the spiders rapidly. They return to normal bodies upon their death and get scooped up along with the tributes who were never turned.

Andromeda comes running out from a dark corner of the room screaming at the Hovercrafts, and the zap her with the same weapon they did the minion spiders. They quickly let a ladder down to me and yank me up before she's able to notice I'm still on the ground.

"Congratulations, Eliza." says the nurse in the craft with a smile as she injects me with something that makes me dizzy. I close my eyes as they start to attach me to multiple machines.

 **Well, there you have it. For those who were curious about Andromeda: I imagined her as a younger Tyra Banks. She wore a bikini top (as well as all the girl minions,) and had a black undertone for her legs.**

 **Eulogies**

 **8th Place: Jute Farman, District 8 Male, Killed by Mutant Pike: I tried to keep this in a reality show format. The winners got a little more screen time, but those who made it deep weren't completely invisible. Jute was a great character, and if I didn't want a girl to win this time, he would have been a possible victor material. Thanks Tigress for submitting awesome characters. I hope to see more of them in Reign!**

 **7th Place: Talia Maglev, District 6 Female, Killed by Mutant Pike: Talia was supposed to die last chapter instead of Hyssop, but I just felt it was Hyssop's time when she went out. Talia was a fun character, and Vinegar Tits is still one of the funnest things that I wrote in this story. Thanks, Abby.**

 **6th Place: Aeron Caloss, District 4 Male, Killed by Mutant Hyssop: Cloe, I liked Aeron. Similar to Jute, if I didn't want a girl this time, I probably would have had him as a male victor. He was a great character, with a lot of story and background to work with, and a personality that was fun to write. Thanks for sending him in.**

 **5th Place: Maisla Delisse, District 2 Female, Killed by Mutant Hyssop: One of these days I'm going to have a District 2 girl win. However, with Davantae just winning, Ansley, I just didn't see it in her cards. She was beautiful to write, and lots of fun with her relationship with Kyper. Thanks for sending in another bomb tribute. You truly are underappreciated in the community from your character's standpoint.**

 **4th Place: Carolina Marie, District 12, Killed by Eliza Orsini: Carolina was the best villain I'd ever gotten, and honestly David, if she weren't 12 years old she would have won. I just loved writing her. She was so manipulative and funny, and I hope I did you proud as I wrote her because this character meant a lot to me. If I ever decide to do a resurrection games again, she better be on that list.**

 **3rd Place: Rhea Sanger, District 8 Female, Killed by Eliza Orsini: Rhea was my original victor, but with the last people left in the games, it didn't make sense for her to win. Chayse, I knew you would appreciate that realism. I think Rhea was strong. She was reasonable, and not overpowered, while still being a fierce outer District tribute. I loved her as a whole and thanks for FINALLY submitting to my story.**

 **2nd Place: Alia Sennett, District 4 Female, Killed by Eliza Orsini: I was tortured with this choice Alison. I tried so many different points of reference when deciding between Eliza or Alia. I love both of the characters, and in the end, one of the deciding factors was this: Alia would make for a great next story Victor. There isn't going to be the next story in this series though. Thanks for submitting a bomb ass tribute.**

 **Victor: Eliza Orsini, District 1 Female: This series started with the victory of a District 1 female (Rachel), and it is ending with another District 1 female Victor. I loved Eliza, and Mitchell I hope I didn't give you a heart attack as you read this. Congrats bro!**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	27. Crash Landing

**Eliza Orsini, 18**

 **Victor of the Hunger Games**

* * *

The stage for the Victory Interview is set. Vivica Fo sits in front of me with a huge smile on her face. She's been practicing her opening lines for thirty minutes now, and I still don't know all of what she is saying. Sitting in this seat is nothing like I thought it would be.

I thought I would feel some sense of pride. Some sense of honor, but in reality, all I feel is guilt and sorrow for the dead tributes. I killed five people during my time in the Hunger Games and was responsible for one person's death. That doesn't sit as easy on the heart as we are led to believe it does.

"Eliza, we are about to start," says Vivica with a smile on her face. "Aren't you just so excited?! Your yellow dress looks stunning on you!"

"I hate yellow," I say honestly.

She just stares blankly at me and then turns to clear her throat. The cameraman holds up fingers and counts down from five. Once he hits two, he gives Vivica the thumbs up, and she starts the introduction to my story throughout the games.

"Greetings, I'm Vivica Fo and welcome to the Hunger Games: The Final Interview. I'm here with Eliza Orsini of District 1, and current Victor of the 32nd Hunger Games!" The audience cheers upon hearing my name, and I give them a gracious smile. I have had to deal with my emotions ever since the games ended, and it's something that has been affecting my attitude overall.

"Now, Eliza, tell me. What was your favorite part about winning the Hunger Games?" asks Vivica as she stares at me questioningly.

There's a long pause because if I'm honest, I can't think of anything. There's nothing exciting about watching 23 other kids die so that you can live. There's nothing exciting about killing. I felt that to be alive; I had to kill. I thought that for me to live, I had to take life from someone else.

"I learned a lot about myself during the games," I say honestly. "I learned that I'm able to be alive. I know that sounds weird, but it's the truth. I'm not numb anymore. There's something inside of me that has that spark again. It might be a dull and sad spark right now, but I'm hopeful I can transform it into a wildfire."

The audience lightly applauds my answer. I'm not sure if it's acceptable what I just said, but it's the truth of the matter. I don't think they know how to take it in. They're not used to deep answers here.

"FUCK THE CAPITOL." shouts a male voice.

The audience gasps and I can't help but let out a shrill laugh. That's a way to make a real impression on these people. Shout insults at them. Vivica clears her throat in confusion as she looks around the audience to see who said that. Security makes their way to a man in his 50's, and then he bolts away running as fast as he can.

"Well, that's a way to make an impression," says Vivica trying to ease the conversation back to me. "At least the weathers nice outside today!"

"It's a little humid," I say giving her a wink as she gives me an angry look.

She continues to try and get the audience to calm down when I hear a hum start to sound in the air. I look around the audience in fear that someone might have some sort of weapon when all of the sudden I see a disk appearing in the sky. It's round, and at a distance, it looks small, but to be seen from this far away it has to be quite large.

"What's that?" I ask pointing up to the sky and interrupting Vivica.

She looks up at the sky, and her face goes ashen as she looks out at the audience. "We are in an emergency evacuation. Please calmly make your way out of the area, and move calmly," says Vivica repeating herself as she runs off the stage. I follow her, and she gets into a hovercraft. She sees me from a distance and ushers me in with a hurried expression.

"Eliza let's go!" she says.

"What's going on?!" I ask confused staring at her.

"That thing in the sky is the space station from last year's Hunger Games. Someone hacked it, no doubt Katherine Farrow, but that Space Station is on it's way to the Capitol at this very moment."

"Why is that such a big deal? Obviously, it's large, but is it going to be something catastrophic?"

"It can wipe out the whole middle of the city." says Vivica as the hovercraft finally takes off. "It's coordinates are launched right at the-"

"Town square." I whisper looking at her. "It's a coup."

* * *

 **Alexandra Rabbel**

 **President of Panem**

* * *

"What do you mean you can't hack into the system of the space station!?" I shout as I throw something at the team of scientist I've placed on this work task. "This is not a drill. This is an act of terror! Get something going now!" I scream as I pace back and forth. The space station looks like it's getting closer and closer, and I pause as I look up at the sky.

Let it be known that I don't scare easy. To be in my position you honestly can't scare easy. I've worked so hard to be an active President. I don't let people walk over me. I make sure that what I say has happened.

But for the first time in this whole year of my presidency, I am honestly out of control of the situation. Katherine Farrow is up to something. What that something is, I'll not know until it gets here. I've never met a more infuriatingly impossible woman.

I'd never admitted this to anyone, but Katherine is a worthy adversary. Seeing her be pushed to the edge in the 17th Hunger Games, watching her journey to the top and the free fall from the presidency, and now to this historic crash landing, literally and figuratively. It drives me to wits end.

"Mam, I think we are able to hi-jack the system." says one of the scientist at a computer. "I just need a little time."

"Well, judging by how close this thing is you have about 10 minutes." I say as the disk in the sky looks closer than before. If it wasn't for the auto-pilot being activated, I think we'd all already be dead by now.

* * *

 **Lenovo Cane, 19**

 **Victor of the 31st Games**

* * *

"Those bastards!" I scream from the front seat of the hovercraft as I continue to type furiously into the laptop. "They're trying to overload my overload. Who the hell do they think they are?!"

Katherine comes out of the back room. She has tears in her eyes, and she wipes her face as she walks out. She comes and sits next to me in the hovercraft. Sailor sits behind us with a weapon in hand. We are currently on the outskirts of District 1. District 13 developed a warship that allows people to become almost invisible to the naked eye. The entire 13 army is on their way to the Capitol right now to take down Alexandra.

"What's going on, Lenovo?" asks Katherine as she gives me a questioning look. I start to panic when I realize that the spaceship is becoming less attainable. A massive chunk of this plan was dependent on the fact that this spacecraft was going to discombobulate the Capitol. Now I don't know what is going to happen.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to keep the craft in a free fall," I say as I see them start to override the codes I programed. "I can probably still get a crash impact, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get the ship to land on the planned location."

She pauses and stares at me with confliction as she seems to be weighing the pros and cons of the situation. She begins to nod her head. "This happens today," she says. "This has gone on long enough, and it's time to end Alexandra's presidency."

Sometimes I fear that Katherine is too fierce. She has no fears in the world. Even during the 17th games where their fear indicators were measured as part of their score, hers was very low. "Katherine, I don't know if that's a good idea," I say slowly. "If we don't have the ship we don't have a plan."

"We've brought the entire District 13 army across the country, Lenovo. There's no turning back now. It's time to strike. I've lived in hiding long enough."

"What if you don't come back?" I ask solemnly. "What if none of us come back?"

"If the current world is ruled by Alexandra Rabbel, I don't want to be apart of this. I've taken down a Snow before. I took on a Mercay head on. Those were two of the most feared names in Panem history. Yet, here I am. I can face her. I know I can."

She tucks what looks like a CD inside her supply pack. "How much longer until landing?" she asks me.

"About 10 minutes," I say quietly as I continue to type. "Almost...GOT IT!" I scream. "Tell them to stop!"

Katherine gets on her walkie-talkie and tells the artillery to stop. We all stop and wait, and five minutes later we see the spaceship fly down into the middle of the Capitol. I sit there with a triumphant beam on my face as I watch the flames erupt into the sky. Katherine tells the troops to file into the Capitol, but to be careful of booby traps. She gave us a list of what she had when she was President.

"Are we ready?" she asks as our hovercraft lands on the ground. "Because we have a mansion to storm."

* * *

 **Katherine Farrow**

 **Rebel**

* * *

I had always hoped that I would walk down these streets again. I just never thought it would be like this. I never wanted to be President. I'd regularly sit in the office frowning on the days I had to work. The truth of the matter is the Presidents have no power. I tried to do so much in my short reign of a presidency.

I wanted to end the games; I tried to unite the Districts as one. Make us a force to be reckoned with as a country and not a dictator. There are people around that still remember what it was like in the world before Panem took over.

But Panem has been in power for 32 years, with absolutely no signs of ever letting go unless we do something about it.

"How are you so sure she's going to be in the mansion?" whispers Sailor as we approach the Presidential mansion.

"Because she would want to look strong. Don't get me wrong; she's still a threat if she's in the mansion. She won't be unprotected. But she's vulnerable right now, and because of that we need to strike now."

The area around the mansion is in flames as we walk up the long driveway. A large group follows behind Lenovo, Sailor, and I and we begin to surround the house. Each of us is armed with a gun and decked out in strong body armor. I look at Sailor and Lenovo and they both nod at me.

"Ready?" I ask them.

"Ready," they say in unison.

We walk up to the front door and Sailor kicks it in. All three of us quickly file into the house and begin to spread out throughout the halls. They head towards the bedrooms on the east wing of the mansion, while I travel to the office on the west side.

It takes awhile to make my way in the hall of Victors, which is the hallway leading to the President's office. Each square inch of the wall is lined with a giant portrait of the Victors from all the Hunger Games. I pass by my photo in the 17th Hunger Games and see a confident girl smiling in the photograph. Oh, how things have changed.

I'm still confident, don't get me wrong, but I'm no longer a girl anymore like I was in the 17th, I'm a woman. Fully grown, with new life experiences, and battles I never even imagined could be real under my belt. I give the girl in the photo a slight nod and keep walking. I get to the door of the Presidential office and open it. It's surprisingly unlocked. I walk in and see a boringly decorated room. The only splash of color is on the balcony located directly behind the president's desk. I look over at the bookshelf and smile. There were many of memories made in that secret door.

I don't see any signs of Alexandra as I walk throughout the room, so I pull out my CD and pull the book that would open the secret door. The Room of Legacies is a place where each President leaves a momentum of who they were and what they want to leave behind in the wake of their presidency. I never got to put mine in there, and if I don't get to take out Alexandra, I'm at least putting my legacy in this room.

I walk into the room and place the CD on a platform that has a giant four on it. The other three are occupied by Imogen, Bryley, Snow, and Amber's keepsakes. I roll my eyes upon looking at Snow's notebook of advice and place my CD on the platform next to Amber.

I take a step back and look at the platforms when all of the sudden I hear the click of the gun behind me.

"I suppose I can leave that in here. You were a President after all." says the voice of Alexandra Snow from behind me. "Honestly, Kitty Kat. I expected more from you. You always were so elusive I figured you'd see right through my hiding spot."

"Nice to see you, Alexandra," I say taking a deep breath.

"Put your gun down, and raise your hands," she says. "Now."

I do as I'm told and then slowly start to turn around to her. She smiles as she sees the look of fear on my face, and then grabs my shirt and throws me out of the room. I use the momentum of being tossed to launch myself into a somersault and duck behind the couch. She starts to shoot, but I keep moving and end up behind the desk sitting in front of the balcony I used to eat breakfast on. She comes over from behind the desk and holds the gun up to me in anger.

"Any last words from the infamous Katherine Farrow?" she asks as she holds the gun towards me with a sadistic grin.

"You need to learn just to pull the damn trigger," I say as I launch myself at her. She drops the gun and falls through the glass window onto the balcony. She grabs ahold of my hair and tries to slam it on the ground, but I grab a fist full of hers and begin to jerk it around crazily. She lets out a loud scream, and I am able to get my head free.

I climb on top of her, and she starts to scratch at my face. I am able to dodge most of it, but her nails embed into my cheek on the last blow. I scream, and she manages to kick me off of her. I fly back, and I trip over the balcony as I hold onto the railing trying to pick myself up.

"Katherine!" screams Sailor from the ground.

I look down and see the entire squad that we had from 13 surrounded by Capitol Peacekeepers. "I'm sorry!" I scream back with tears welling up.

"Did you honestly think that we weren't ready for you?" asks Alexandra as she stands up and laughs at me. "We had the square cleared out in a matter of minutes. Didn't take a genius to see what was going on. My greatest highlight though? Knowing that everyone in the country is going to watch you die." I try to pull my body up, but with the added weight of the body armor it's too much. "I knew you were up to something and had my military called in instantly. There was no stopping us, Katherine. You're finished." she says as she holds up her heeled boot above the railing. I look down and let out a loud gulp. There's a four-story drop for what's about to come.

"Wait." I say as I look at her.

"What?"

"I'm going out on my terms," I say as I let go of the railing and flip over mid-air, landing on my neck I feel it crack as I lay on the ground and watch the world erupt into chaos around me. _You were never made for a happy ending._ I think as I feel myself start to fade. My last vision I see is Sailor screaming breaking away from the guards to cradle my mangled body.

 _At least there's no cannon._

 **If I was messaging you today and you thought I was coming off as short, this is why. Sorry. I'm just a bit emotional. I've grown to love Katherine a lot. So writing her death scene has been really hard, and weighing on me.**

 **The titles of the last three SYOT's were all foreshadowings of what was going to happen to Katherine. Yes, I'm weird and think ahead like that. (Over the Edge, Free Falling, Crash Landing) I hope it's not to terribly cheesy.**

 **Yes, Katherine is dead. Make no mistake. I'm despondent, but I knew this had to be done. She was one of the best characters I've ever had the pleasure of writing for, and if I remembered her submitter's name, I'd thank them for sending her in. She's had a great run, but like all good things, they come to an end.**

 **Thank you for joining me on this wild ride with this crazy character, but I'm not done yet.**

 **I have three more chapters of this story.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	28. Ghost from our Future

**This is the last chapter involving Katherine.**

 **Before we start, I need to revert your attention for a brief moment to Ghost Of Our Past.**

 **Or as I call it, GOOP. But looking specifically at the last chapter.**

 **Rachel is rebuilding this country, and there is a lot going on. I mean A LOT.**

 **The year is 302, and they just had an epic battle of epic proportions in the Mansion of El Presidente.**

 **They're confused and lost, and for those who were confused as hell as to who the two random girls at the bottom of my subplot characters page are, well. Here's your answer.**

* * *

 **Clyde Averway**

 **Recently Widowed**

* * *

"Hey," I say to the still risen mound of dirt in front of me. My late wife lies 6 feet under this pile of dirt. The strongest and fiercest woman I've ever known is dead. It's been two weeks since the news came.

I was sitting in the living room of our apartment with Alma when the news came. Adela was playing with her dolls on the floor, refusing to eat for anyone but "Aunt Kitty Kat." The world moved in slow motion. From a crying Alma as she sobbed into her oatmeal, and a confused Adela who kept walking up to us and pulling on our clothes asking what's wrong.

I didn't leave my bed for ten days before Alma finally came in and splashed water on me. "You have a responsibility, dad," she said. "To Adela and me. Feeling sad is one thing, but this isn't going to bring her back."

My daughter is so beyond her years.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around to see you," I say as I take a seat in the grass next to the grave. The yellow flowers I thought were a good idea before coming here sit in my hand, but it doesn't feel right to lay them there just yet.

"Katherine we told each other everything," I say. "You were always the star in this relationship, and I was always okay with that, but we talked. We talked about everything. Every choice, every decision, every situation. There was a process involved. I was your husband. It's what we were supposed to do."

Tears start to well in my eyes as I throw the flowers in anger. This is why I haven't been able to come see her. This is why I haven't been able to pay my respects to my late wife. I'm so infuriated by her.

"How dare you, Katherine," I say looking at her tombstone. _Finally at peace,_ is written across the top of the stone in big letters. "How dare you not tell me you were going on this raid! I thought you were training still. I thought we had more time. You came and said bye to me like everything was a normal day. You didn't even have the courage to tell me you were leaving." I hiss at the ground as I punch the dirt mound repeatedly. "You didn't even think of us, did you?! You left me and two kids by ourselves! All because you had to make a point." I say as I lose my breath and fall into the dirt mound. I'm tempted to dig her up. Not in a creepy way, but just to see her face again. I'm continually painting it in my mind over and over, so I don't forget anything about it.

Tears and dirt line my face as I come up from the mound and look at what is left of my wife. "You were the strongest woman I know," I say. The anger starts to recede as I realize talking about it makes me feel closer to her. Makes her feel real again. "You saw things that were wrong, and you didn't hesitate to stand against it. You loved many people, and when you loved, you loved fiercely. You could get multitudes of people to stand behind you. That's not a bad person."

"I might be mad at you for a long time. I want you to know that I haven't stopped loving you. Katherine, I believe that even in death you're going to change the world. Somewhere someone is going to hear your story, witness something you've done, or maybe even set out to finish your mission. You're going to be remembered. You're not the type of girl that lets things hold her down." I whisper. "Even in death."

I run and pick up the flowers from the place I threw them at. They're scattered around the graveyard, and most of them are missing petals. In the very middle of the flowers lies a single perfect rose. I smile, and pull it out of the wrappings and lay it on her grave.

"You were always a lone wolf," I say teasing her. "I love you. I will never not, but I need a sign on what I should do, Katherine." I begin to walk away and then stop. I turn and face the love of my life one more time for the day. "If I know you though, you'll always find a way to put your two sense in. It's who you are after all." I say with a chuckle as I wipe the tears off my face and head back to the car.

* * *

 **-302 Years into the Future-**

* * *

 **Rachel Callowgwey, 21**

 **President of Panem**

* * *

The room lies in absolute tatters. Everywhere I look there's a broken something. Including a mirror. Because this is going nowhere. What was I thinking? What was I honestly thinking? This whole country is in shambles, and now I have to be the one to rebuild it.

I can't even rebuild myself.

"Rachel," says Chanel in a sympathetic tone. "We have a lot to go through, and a lot of things to sort out. One of which is not our offices quite yet. We have to address what happened to the people, and as your vice-"

"Just shut up for a second," I say with tears welling up. My life wasn't supposed to be this way. I was supposed to win the Hunger Games, was supposed to marry a brilliant man, pop out a couple of kids, and let that be the end of my days.

Instead, I was roped into one giant mess of disaster, and somewhere along the lines got swept into the front-running position. Now sitting here as President of a country in shambles, I don't know what to do.

I begin to clean up tattered pages on the floor when I notice Chanel looking at a bookshelf. "Rachel," she says slowly. "I don't want to sound like a Debbie downer, but why in all of the room is this the only thing left standing? Even the desk is broken in half," she says as she sticks her hand to touch the books. "The books don't even feel- Oh my gosh!" she screams.

I drop my jaw as the bookshelf moves to the left to reveal a secret room. Chanel jumps up and down squealing in a high pitched voice. "Oh my gosh! I'm like Nancy Drew!" she says as she runs inside.

I follow her into the room and watch as my eyes fill with loads of small objects. Each of the objects has a corresponding number, and there is a total of 24 different podiums with numbers next to them. There's everything from a notebook entitled advice, to a random CD sitting on the rostrum entitled "Watch me."

"This looks boring," says Chanel as she picks up the notebook with advice and flips through it. "But I think this is someone in relationship to Alecto because they share the same last name."

She hands me the leather bound book, and I run my finger along the spine. I trace the outline of the book with my hand and flip through it. There's a lot of subtitles and titles. _What to do when you fear a revolt_ and _How to keep your power through fear_ are both titles that stick out as I flip through the pages. I close the book and set it back down. That's not how I want to run my Presidency.

I go through the other objects. One from a girl named Amber, who wasn't President for very long, has helpful tips on how to keep yourself who you are with being President. It was a beautiful thing to read, but not exactly useful in my situation.

Chanel picks up the CD and leaves the room. I follow her as she leaves the room and heads over to the Presidential Suite in the mansion. She sits on the bed and hands me the CD. "Put it in," she says as she looks at me with a smile. "Your room is also very messy."

"It wasn't when I left it yesterday morning," I said. "Maybe it had to do with the small army invading my house."

"Always so personal, Rachel," says Chanel as she leans back on the bed and grabs the remote control. She turns on the TV while I place the CD into the disk reader. She presses play, and a video starts to play.

A woman in all black uniform, including body armor, with long brown hair, sits in front of the screen. I widen my eyes because I instantly recognize her face. She's Katherine Farrow. Infamous in our History textbooks as one of the biggest terrorist our country has ever seen.

"If you're watching this, it means something went horribly wrong." she begins. "My name is Katherine Farrow. I'm the Victor of the 17th Hunger Games, a former President of the country of Panem, and currently on the run from one of the most vindictive and awful people I've ever met." she begins. "I'm sorry if I get a little emotional as I begin to talk," she says as tears begin to well a little bit in her eyes. "There's a lot to cover, and unfortunately I wasn't the best at communicating with certain people what was going to happen."

"This is really freaky," says Chanel. "Are we about to watch her before the big accident."

"Shh," I say to her as I tune in to what she's saying again. Katherine has started tying back her hair, and she clears her throat before she starts talking again.

"The first thing you need to know is some people remember what the world was like before the country of Panem. It had a lot of flaws, and it was far from perfect, but the truth is it was much better than what we have now. Depending on how long it took for someone to find this, which I hope it hasn't been long," _Oops._ I think to myself as she continues to talk. "But they'll be able to tell you."

"People once lived united," she says. "We lived in harmony. We weren't always perfectly getting along, but we could travel. We could see the world. We could try to experience things outside of the box that the government put us in. We could experience a new life if we wanted. We could become more than what our parents allowed us to be. Everything that you've ever dreamed was possible was within reach." she says. "We live in a country where there is nothing but technological advancements. We can cure cancer at the pop of a pill now. We can design thousands of dollars worth of clothes and sell them for thousands of dollars. We have invented more efficient ways to travel and ways to not strip the land of all it's worth and farmed effectively."

"So why don't we use it?" she continues. "Why don't we help those in our country that are hurting? Why are there people dying of starvation in one of the most advanced countries in human existence? Why are we being boxed in when our talents far exceed the areas we were born into? Why are we working dead-end jobs and getting nothing for it? And the answer is simple. The government."

"This isn't some terrorist lament. I know that what I'm doing has its flaws. I know that innocent people are going to die, but how is that any different from what has been going on? Every year 24 kids go into the games. It's been 32 years now. 32 long years of death and betrayal. We are brainwashed into thinking that is the only way we can make something of ourselves, but the life that they advertise and the one that is given is far and few between." she says. "Take it from a Victor."

Chanel and I both pause the screen and look at each other. Both of us know this to be true. "I still think of Predatory Gay boy," she says quietly. "He seemed like the kind of friend that I would have liked to be friends with."

"I think of Rana all the time as well," I whisper. "She was from my games, and she was from District 7, but she had a lot of spunk. She was fun to watch, and at a point in time I thought she would win."

Chanel presses play, and Katherine continues to talk.

"The government has suppressed its people long enough. It's time to stand up, and really look in the mirror as to what you want the world to be when you turn it over to your children, and them to their children. We have lived in fear for far too long. There needs to be freedom." she says as tears start to pour down her face. "There needs to be liberty. We need the ability to move in the world. To experience life for all that it was meant to be. And I'm sorry to say that this is not all there is. I refuse to stay squandered by the people that are supposed to protect me. I refuse to allow myself to continue to live in fear of unneeded punishment. I want more for life. I want more for my daughter, and my granddaughter, and her kids. I want to live."

"So if you're watching this, something went horribly wrong for me. But it doesn't have to be horribly wrong for you. You have the opportunity to change things. You can fight. You're able to start this reform that we desperately need in this country. You can make the change. It's not going to be easy. It's going to be really hard, but if you work with the people, the people work with you. We are punished year after year for revolting, but here's the issue with that, why put us in a situation where we needed to revolt in the first place?" she's wiping her eyes now. Her face is streaked with tears, and her eyes are red. "I'm putting this in the Room of Legacies, so if you're watching this, it's because you can make some moves. So do it. Change the world. Make it better. Don't just sit there like a wimp."

"THOSE BASTARDS!" we hear in the video. She turns around, and she looks at the door to the room she's in.

"I have to go," she says. "Wish me luck, hopefully, no one ever really needs to see this," she says.

"Wow," I say looking at Chanel. "Do you know what this means?"

"What?" she asks me.

"I know the answer to our problem," I say looking at her. "Katherine might not have been as bad as we were lead to believe," I say as I get up and run from the room.

 **Yikes, we finished this chapter. There's two more! Including a chapter where I just explain what happens to the characters. Next chapter is the last content related chapter to the story.**

 **Remember to submit to Reign, and really get a step on it! I'm getting really good submissions! So thank you for that. I've 18, but I would love to get some more. I also should be posting a new chapter for Reign tomorrow, because I want it to be fresh on your minds.**

 **Hope this didn't suck...it's been a long time in the making.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	29. A Change is Coming

**I'm going to try and finish this tonight.**

 **I want to start Reign, and I want to wrap this up.**

 **I'm sad that this universe is ending, but I'm glad for the completion of it.**

 **So kick back, I'm going to grab some tissues while I write this, and hopefully, you've enjoyed it.**

* * *

 **Rachel Callowgwey, 21**

 **President of Panem**

* * *

I have never been more nervous than I am right now stepping into the room of investors for the city. They sit there with their unimpressed looks on their face as I stand at the front of the table. Chanel sits at the opposite end ready to step in with damage control if I need it.

The narrow and cruel eyes of McCadams Forrester stare at me from his seat at the table. His colleagues all stand there looking back and forth as they wait for someone to say something. Right as I'm about to speak, McCadams begins to talk.

"Ms. Callowgwey, this has been a very messy situation that you've left us in. We are unsure if you're suited to run this country after all the turmoil that you've caused. There has been a very vocal and apparent uprising and-" McCadams begins

"You're right," I say.

"He's what?" asks Chanel

"I'm what?" he asks me confused.

"You're right. Because this the truth is this is too much power for one person. It's been 300 years of the same thing. Same Games, same people in power, same people starving and hurting. There's too much power for one person, and because of that the spot I'm in looks desireable. There are some changes that we need to make if we want this to be an effective country. There's a lot that we have to do."

"And why should we listen to you, Miss Callowgwey? As I just stated, and you stated, this seems to be too much for you."

I nod my head in agreement. The truth is he's right. I would love not to be President. Not because I'm not capable, but because my heart just isn't in it. I, however, see myself as the only person who will see my vision through, and if I don't change it, then who would be the one to do so? This is a step that I have to take. It's my responsibility at this point.

"Because what we are doing now is getting old. And obviously, there is a serious revamping needed if we expect this to last. Our country can't keep surviving uprising after uprising. I want there to be peace, and there are certain things that we in the Capitol are going to have to change to achieve that."

"Such as?" asks a woman with a pointed nose. I've never bothered to ask her name because she's always been consistently quiet. She clears her throat and stands up. "Ms. Callowgwey, I know that you're young, and you see things a bit different than the rest of us. However, what you're trying to do is simply too much. There is no way that we will be able to change our dynamics at this point. 300 years is a long time to have things in place and to just uproot everything-"

"That's the thing, Oldielocks," says Chanel stepping in. "Something isn't working. That's apparent in the way things have been. Everyone in this room knows that change has to be made. The question is, are you going to be the one to help push it along, or are you going to be the one to get in the way?"

"Did you just call me Oldielocks?" the woman asks looking at each of the other people at the table, including myself. I can't help but crack a smile. It's classic Chanel.

"Missing the point. Rachel has a vision. She doesn't want the Presidency. That's physically noticeable. I think that is what makes her the best candidate for re-election. Yes," she says seeing the look of terror on the council's face when she speaks. "I said election. It's time that we start taking care of our people. There are some things we need to do."

She nods at me, and I pull out a list. It's a lot of things to change, but tackling these things slowly one by one will make for a stronger Panem. "The first thing we need to do is hold an election. We need to have a record of everyone in Panem, not just the kids. I think that if we have the voting limit set at 18 like they did in America, that would be the best way to do this. We could use computers, and that way once someone has voted one time they're done." I say. "We open the election to anyone who wants to run, but we also need to figure out certain regulations to go by. That way we don't end up with a 16-year-old leader." I say.

Chanel and I bounce off one another well as we continue to spout our ideas off to the council. They look apprehensive, but they're taking everything in with a grain of salt at least, and that's all we really could have asked for. Once we break down what we want to change I look at McCadams and he clears his throat.

"Ms. Callowgwey," he begins. His voice sounds harsh and angry, and I feel like he's about to tell me this is ludicrous. "We would be honored to serve under you. I think we can all agree that we see the change coming as well. It's time we get with the times."

"That's the spirit! Oldielocks, get behind McCadams. He knows what's good!" says Chanel with a smile.

* * *

 **-1 week later-**

* * *

 **Chanel Lourd, 20**

 **Vice President of Panem**

* * *

Everyone has been waiting for Rachel and me to address what's going on. It's been a hectic week in the Capitol. We are all struggling to get things up and running, but today is a day of celebration. Today is the day we announce to the people of Panem their new rights.

Surprise! You have some now!

The media is crowded around our stage as we walk up the stairs. Required viewing for today has been mandated, but this is the last time we will ever make that call. Because today we free our people. Rachel has never been one to make public speeches. So when she asked me to do the statement for the press conference, I wasn't surprised. It's how we have always operated. She tells me what she wants to happen, and I make it happen. It doesn't mean I'm not nervous though. This is a lot of change to throw on people.

"Hello, Citizens of Panem," I say into the microphone. All the chatter in the audience dies down, and I can see all the camera flashes as Rachel, and I stand in front of the podium. I reach for Rachel's hand and squeeze, and she squeezes back. We take a glance at each other and see she's just as nervous as I am as I take a breath and continue talking.

"It's been a busy week for us in Panem. There's been a lot of talk about what is going to happen after Obsidian and his sister attacked the Capitol. I've heard the rumors just like the rest of you, but today we are putting those to bed."

It's so quiet in this press conference you could hear a pin drop. Each of the reporter's eyes is wide with excitement as they whip out their recording devices and hold onto every word I'm saying.

"We would first like to announce that for the first time in the History of Panem, we are opening the walls of each District." There is an audible gasp from the reporters as camera flashes fill the room. If this surprised them, they're not ready for the rest of what's coming. "We are now making it legal to travel in between the Districts. We will be meeting with the Mayor's of each District to go over specifics of how this will work. Each District will have its laws, but also still follow the laws of the Capitol. There will not be mixed currencies so that we will stick to the Capitol currency, and traveling does not require paperwork."

"The next thing we are going to address is that we will now be holding nominations for the seat of the Presidency." A reporter falls over in shock upon hearing this and is quickly stepped over by the reporters that were behind her. "Every eight years we will have a re-election. There will be a nominee from each District chosen by the people. They will run for office, and each person above the age of 18 will have one vote. The person with the most votes will become President of Panem, with the vice president of their choosing. The other 12, because we are including the Capitol, will make up what we are going to call The Assembly. They are the ones that will keep the President in line and will check the powers that she or he demonstrates while in office. For this first election, the Mayors of each District will serve as the nominees. Rachel and I are officially announcing our run for office as well."

Rachel looks at me and motions for her to take the microphone. I smile at her as she steps infront of me. She clears her throat and with a huge smile on her face begins to speak. "It is also with great pleasure that I announce that the Hunger Games is officially over!"

Everyone cheers in the room, and I swear I could hear the people of the Districts with how loud everything was. We smile as we step aside, and reveal a giant screen. One by one we switch to each District having their fence torn down. People are running past the gate dancing and spinning around with their families and friends. People are climbing trees, and some are on the floor crying.

Reporters are screaming questions in our faces, but I'm not able to focus on any of that. For the first time in a long time, I feel truly good about what is happening, and the future looks bright for everyone in our country.

"To a new world," I say extending my hand to her.

"We have a lot more work to do before we can officially say that," she says.

"But we're one step closer," I say with my hand still extended.

She shoves my hand down and wraps me in a hug. "I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you for all your help."

We turn and walk off the stage not wanting to take questions as we walk out of the auditorium and towards the limo that's waiting for us outside. Reporters are running after us, but we continue to ignore them as we close the door, and the driver begins to take us out of the long parking lot.

"I wonder how Oldielocks is doing," I say looking at Rachel with a wide grin.

She laughs and then rolls her eyes at me. "Probably dying from confusion right about now. Change is happening, and you know how old people are with change."

"Yeah," I say, "But I still want to fix her hair. It's damaged as I'll get out."

We continue to laugh as the car drives towards the mansion of the President and the gates open. It pulls up to the front, and he quickly opens the door to let us out of the car. We walk up to the front doors of the mansion and are greeted by the staff in the house, and they smile.

"Let's go people!" says Rachel with an excited tone, "We have a lot of work to do!"

 **Well, that's it. I'll have the epilogue up within the hour. I hope you guys liked this story/series. I'm sad it's over, and I'll always love these characters, but it was time.**

 **Still taking submissions for Reign. I think my deadline is going to be December 1st. I'm sitting at 20 submissions, which isn't bad for one chapter, so thanks, guys.**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


	30. Happily Ever After?

**This chapter will consist of just quick little blurbs about each of the characters that are living still. I hope you've enjoyed their journey as much as I have.**

 **Now as they come for their final bows in a way…**

* * *

 **Clyde Averway:** Clyde remained in District 13 with his daughters Alma and Adela. He became a teacher and taught English to the children of the District. He remarried once Adela was six years old and had another child who he named Katherine. He died at 69 from a nasty flu virus that swept through the District. He is buried next to Katherine in the cemetery.

 **Alma Coin:** She's not who she was in canon. Alma went on to be the leader of the army in District 13. She married a man named Harry, and they had three children together. Before Alma was married, however, she went on a rescue mission for Lenovo and Sailor in the Capitol. After almost getting caught, she managed to break both of them out. They now reside in District 13 with her.

 **Adela Mastiff:** Adela grew up with a major identity crisis. Losing two mothers takes a lot out of a child. When she turned 16, she became pregnant with the resident bad boy in District 13. She had a baby girl, and together she and the boy tried to work things out. He ended up leaving her and the child and running away to try and survive in the woods. She raised the child on her own and eventually married a good man at the age of 30.

 **Sailor Atkinson:** Sailor was sentenced to death for treason against the Capitol. She was scheduled for hanging when the night before Alma came on a rescue mission and busted her and Lenovo out of Prison. They ran off and managed to make it back to 13 after a few weeks of traveling. Sailor and Lenovo fell in love during their time in the Prison and married quickly after their stint in jail. She married Lenovo and later remarried a man named Spencer.

 **Lenovo Cane:** Lenovo married Sailor, and is currently working on ways to hack into the Capitol's computers. (Keep in mind Rachel, and Chanel are in a different period.) His mission is to take down Alexandra Rabbel for what she did to Katherine. However, he will never get the chance to complete his mission. Four years after Sailor and him married, Lenovo died of a heart attack.

 **Alexandra Rabbel:** Alexandra was overthrown by her nephew in her tenth year of Presidency. His name was Alec Rabbel-Snow, and he was of the "pure" side of their family. He won the army over before he attacked, and after that, she stood no chance. She was beheaded on national television so Alec could make a statement about his power to the people of Panem.

 **Pine and Elena:** The couple had four more kids, and retired back to District 5. They were never proven to be working with the Rebels, and because of that, they were safe. Pine continued to mentor the Hunger Games while Elena would stay home with the kids. When the 75th Hunger Games came around, and the victors went into the area, Pine was the one that was reaped. He placed 11th overall in the arena. He was 67 when he died.

 **Tahan Jacobs and Davantae Jones:** The two got married after the explosive day in the Capitol. Too old to have children, they decided to adopt a child from an impoverished District. The two raised a baby boy named Aaron. They always talk to him about not wasting time when he finds the person he loves because he'll never know how much time he has. They talk with Paisley every day.

 **Paisley Grace:** Paisley cleaned herself up after the rebellion failed. She continued to be obsessed with Panem's Next Top Model, and in its fourth season, she managed to snag the hosting spot for the show. Today you can find her designing her fashion empire, and telling girls that they are "still in the running to becoming Panem's Next Top Model."

 **Rachel Callowgwey:** Rachel and Chanel went on to win the Presidency in the first official election Panem ever had. Mostly because no one wanted to run against them. They created a system of checks and balances and became known as Panem's greatest rulers and after her 8-year-term Rachel met a man and married. She retired home to District 1 where she had three kids. She was 29 when she had her first kid. She continued a close relationship with Chanel, and together the two were inseparable. Rachel had five kids, and all of them were girls. Her husband was no happy with this development.

 **Chanel Lourd:** After serving her term, Chanel went with Rachel to District 1. The two lived next door to each other for many years, until one of the flings from Chanel's past came to visit her. The two got drunk and ended up getting married in a Vegas-like ceremony. She now lives back in District 6, her original home, with two kids and her husband. She still is popular on social media and is called upon multiple television shows to be a personality and commentator.

 **And with that, this story is over. Thank you again for those who stuck around since the beginning, and those who came in the middle and end! I've been so astounded that people read my work, and to have this series finally be over is such a bitter/sweet feeling. I'm excited and anxious to have my work for Reign be posted because it's the first time I'm writing outside of this series. I hope that it will be as fun as this one was.**

 **Signing off for the last time, (and I think I might change this for Reign. Let me know, please)**

 **Keep it classy,**

 **Caleb**


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